The letter arrived in a hand-addressed envelope, inside of which was a handwritten note. After everything we have been through, we were expecting something typed, from a solicitor. It began by politely thanking us for looking after the land so well. But in the next paragraph, the landowner attempted to serve us three weeks’ notice to move our horses, claiming that was all she needed to give. We texted her immediately to say our lease states three months. She replied later to say three weeks had been a mistake, she meant three months.
She tried to make light of it. But we already know we are losing our smallholding because the shoot wants the land. And they want it before the shooting season starts.
The shoot boys have put unbearable pressure on us for the past year, insisting they need us out. Despite doing our best to hold the line, for ourselves and our landlady, we have, of course, agreed to go because it’s her land and if she wants it back she must have it.
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