Angry villagers have put up signs telling brides and grooms heading to an 'exclusive' stately home for their big day that they're 'not welcome' - amid claims wedding guests are weeing in their gardens.
Locals living near the 16th century estate of Oxnead Hall, in Aylsham in Norfolk, have erected one sign that says 'Brides and grooms not welcome in Oxnead'. Other hand-made signs include 'No more weddings we've had enough' and 'Exclusive? More than 100 weddings this year'.
Residents have accused wedding guests of 'relieving themselves in gardens' and 'wandering through yards'. They said they are being kept up at night by loud music at the venue.
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Susi and Roger Crane, who own a 500-acre farm that surrounds the wedding venue, have erected three signs in their front garden, which is near the venue's car park. Roger said: “The weddings are really having a big impact on our residents’ lives, and that’s why we are up in arms about it."
Susi added: "Our residents are repeatedly disturbed by loud music way in to the night, even in their beds. One poor lady puts her children to bed to the sound of Michael Jackson.
"They are unable to sit outside their homes in the summer and are often disturbed by shouting and laughing. Guests have wandered through the yard and even relieved themselves in their gardens.
"They have left glasses in gardens and wandered down to the livery which houses 26 horses. They were granted permission to hold unlimited weddings, and we don’t know how that came to be. We have tried to challenge that with Broadland district council, but haven’t got very far.”
Another neighbour Lorna Crook said she's had to move her bedroom from the front to the back of her house because of the noise after a ceremony. She said: “When it was once or twice a week, you could deal with that, but it’s up to six a week. We all have to get up early and go to work.”
But Beverley Aspinall, who owns Oxnead Hall with her husband David, has said that she is 'aware of the issues' but she is 'doing everything we possible can' to prevent the issues. She said: “I feel sorry for those poor couples that have been through so much, that [the objectors] have chosen this way of making their feelings known rather than coming to us and working collaboratively.
“We are aware [of the issues] and we are doing everything we possibly can to minimise them. We’d be enormously grateful if anyone could help us find solutions.
“We’ve asked for meetings and we’re trying to work collaboratively, but I have to say it has been very difficult and stressful for us - we’ve had staff resignations because of the way they’ve been treated.”
A Broadland District Council spokesperson said: “The development was considered to be acceptable when planning permission was granted, subject to conditions. The council is currently investigating an enforcement complaint regarding the breach of the noise condition on the site.
"This has not yet been concluded and the council will respond directly to the complainant once we have investigated this matter."
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