Thousands support Earls Farm, Harwood couple's petition

In March 2022 David and Karen Yates received notice that they were facing eviction from Earls Farm on Stitch-Mi-Lane in Harwood.

Now the couple have garnered more than 2,600 signatures to save highlight the plight of tenant farmers and save the more than 500 year old house found on the farm

Karen Yates said: “As you can imagine it is steeped in history, with old original beams, stone flags and period fireplaces.

“You can even see ancient thumb prints in the wattle and daub.

The couple are facing an eviction order (Image: Public)

“We, the Yates family have been the proud custodians of the house and land for over 300 years, initially 160 acres, we now have 12.5 acres and sadly we are battling with Bolton Council to stop its demolition and ultimately the demise of Earls Farm.”

Mr and Mrs Yates were served with an eviction order in March 2022, which gave them just days to leave the land.

Mrs Yates said the council took over part of the land in 2007 and she and her husband thought they would be put on a new contract when building was done on the new St Catherine’s Academy.

But the couple then heard nothing more about this until 2020.

A look inside the historic house (Image: Public)

They then believed they would have been able to take ownership of the land having occupied it for more than 12 years, thanks to an adverse possession order.

Mr Yates himself has run the farm since the death of his father William in 1995, while the family have occupied the land for the last 300 years.

Today, as well as being the home of Earls Farm Cattery, the farm also helps run the Good Life Community Allotment Group.

Mrs Yates said that this group “supports health and wellbeing, while also creating a much-needed habitat for our bees and other wildlife.”

She added: “We currently provide much needed produce, and other essential items to Bolton Charity Homeless Aid UK.”

The Yates family have occupied the land for around 300 years (Image: Public)

But the couple were still told that they would have to leave by April 30, 2022, and having refused to do so, took their case to Manchester Civil Justice Centre.

The couple are still on the land, while the petition they have set up has grown in popularity.

Mrs Yates says she has also been overwhelmed with support on social media after posting about the farm’s heritage on Bolton history Facebook groups.

The petition calls on the Department for Environment, Rural Affairs and Food to provide more support for tenant farmers.

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It says: “There needs to be adequate compensation to cover the true costs experienced by tenant farmers who are displaced for housing or energy schemes.

“This includes having to relocate both home and business.  

“The present statutory fall back provisions are wholly inadequate, and it is alarming that many tenant farmers are treated with disdain by their landlords, receiving little or no communication, adding insult to injury at such a difficult, life changing time.”

The petition can be found by searching Protect Farmers' Tenancy and Human Rights on Change.org.

Bolton Council says it is unable to comment because of  "active legal proceedings."