Farm smells legal battle risking 350 Staffordshire jobs

Jack Moody, owner of Jack Moody Ltd, which runs both the farm and Hollybush Garden Centre said his companies will be crippled if he has to pay out 'silly money' in compensation.

Mr Moody also hit out at no-win-no-fee law firm, Hugh James Solicitors, saying it had actively encouraged residents to make complaints about odours coming from the composting plant at the farm in Warstone Road.

He today urged claimants to back away from legal action and instead support a charitable trust set up to benefit the community. The now retired businessman said he had already put £250,000 into the pot to be spent in the area and pledged to double it by 2018.

"We are hoping the 60-odd residents get rid of their lawyers who are costing the area fortunes and get into this trust fund and make it work," he said. "We want this trust fund to help good causes in the area.

"This legal action is a real threat to 350 livelihoods in the area. We run numerous business on this site including the garden centre employing over 350 people. Ninety-five per cent of our employees come from a 10-mile radius and we employ third-generation families. We ourselves are a family business."

In regards to the bad smells, Mr Moody said things had improved greatly but the ongoing legal case hung over the firm like a dark cloud.

"We hold our hands up and fully admit that there were problems with bad smells in 2012. But we have made such vast improvements since then."

Mr Moody said the odours were mainly caused by materials the company was testing for local councils to help them meet recycling targets. But he said because of the smells, councils had stopped processing their waste at the site, although it took time to remove.

Residents making claims said they had been advised by Hugh James not to discuss the case. The firm itself was not available for comment.

To find out more about the Hollybush Community Trust Fund contact kate@jackmoodylimited.co.uk or on 01922 417648.