Shocked pensioners Mike and Sue Attwell, who run Attwell Farm Park in Seafield Lane, Beoley, have been hit with an Asbo-style Community Protection Notice (CPN) by Bromsgrove District Council requiring them to restrict their opening hours and turn off their festive lights display in the evenings.
Mike, aged 80 and his 79-year-old wife, Sue, together with their daughter Joanne, aged 55 and 30-year-old grandson Dale were served the legal letters – which come under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2024 – after complaints that their festive farm trail was causing a “nuisance.”
Mr Attwell who has recently undergone major hip surgery said he has been having “sleepless nights” ever since being served the letter.
The farm has said that people claimed the light trail was creating “light pollution” which impacted their home life and cited a noise issue with “amplified music, people talking and shouting and children screaming.”
Despite the notice, the owners have said that their light trail, which started in November, will continue until Sunday, January 5.
The light trail runs until January 5 (Image: Attwell Farm Park)
Ollie Arundale, who is the director of marketing, innovation and inclusivity at Attwell Farm Park said the notice has left the owners traumatised.
He said: “We have always faced an uphill struggle to be here right from 2020 when we first opened.
“We provide fun activities for children, families and schools from across the region and much of what we do is for children with special needs. We bring money into the local economy – all we want to do is bring happiness not all this negativity.”
Mr Arundale said that when the planning permission was granted for the site, the owners had applied for temporary event licences for Easter, Halloween and Christmas and expected no issues, but when they tried to obtain an alcohol licence in conjunction with a local brewer for an adult-themed scare maze in October, things escalated.
“For some reason, a few people then jumped to the conclusion we were opening a nightclub, but we are a family attraction”, he said.
“We are a business, and we are constantly striving to find new ways to bring in revenue, but they have this so wide of the mark.
“The main reason for wanting to stay open until 9pm is because that’s when the children with special needs visit as it is less busy and less overwhelming for them – the Halloween event was a one-off to give a wider audience a good time – that’s all.
“The light trail is part of our Santa attraction and couldn’t be further from a nightclub if it tried.”
The plug could be pulled early on the light trail (Image: Attwell Farm Park)
The notices served on the family by Bromsgrove District Council’s Worcester Regulatory Services say the issue follows “a number of complaints being raised by local residents regarding events at Attwell Farm Park.”
It also cites the conduct of the farm as having a “persistent or continuing detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality and the conduct is unreasonable.”
Mr Arundale added: “It just seems to be a case of Bah Humbug by the local authority – it is as though we have enemies, and we just cannot understand why.”
Attwell Farm Park is currently listed as the second biggest family tourist attraction in the Worcestershire area after West Midlands Safari Park and employs 50 people from the local area.
The family have 21 days to appeal their convictions and currently seeking legal advice.
A spokesperson for Bromsgrove District Council said: “The council is unable to comment at this time.”