Family-run adventure centre in the Black Country plagued by break-ins and antisocial behaviour
A family that runs an adventure centre and golf school in the Black Country are at their wits' end having been targeted by thieves on an almost-weekly basis for years.
The Mark Butler Golf Academy in Sedgley, which is also home to Sedgley Adventure Centre, has been raided repeatedly by thieves who have taken power tools, golf equipment and, in the latest incident, a horse box.
The trailer was stolen from outside the premises in Sedgley on Wednesday night last week. West Midlands Police are investigating.
Nicola Butler, whose family run the site and whose husband Mark the golf academy is named for, said antisocial behaviour has also been a problem with fires set on the site and evidence of drug-taking.
"This is becoming a problem - our land is broken into all the time. It's getting worse and worse, the last two years have been horrendous.
"We have had a lot of people coming on the premises, whether it's antisocial behaviour, drugs... We've had equipment stolen, we've had fires on the premises.
"We had three thefts in three days last year."
One of the worst incidents last summer was the theft of £45,000 worth of power tools.
The family have launched an application for planning permission for a permanent lodge or other structure on the site after first exploring the possibility before planning processes were held up during the Covid lockdowns.
But Nicola, 44, said that pre-application advice suggested it may face opposition because the site is on the fringe of the green belt.
"We're trying to get permission for some kind of premises on the site so someone can stay there, as a deterrent. If you look at most golf clubs they have a steward or stewardess who stays on the site as security.
"We're contacting MPs because it's getting that bad. It is fringe green belt and it needs protecting.
"Three weeks ago they broke into our clubhouse and stole golf equipment, clubs and that sort of thing. They used a machine to grind the doors off and got into the clubhouse.
"We phone the police and they are as helpful as they can be; they give us crime numbers but nothing has ever come of it.
"We go down there as quickly as we can [after reports of thefts] but you're just always too late."
She said that the site's secluded location, on the western edge of the Cotwall End nature reserve, and the fact that some public footpaths have access to the golf course, make it an easier target.
Thieves have targeted neighbours immediately adjacent to the golf academy too, Mrs Butler said.
"It's in a nice area, you wouldn't have thought this would be this much of a problem. They target us because we are quite hidden away.
"The police are being helpful, [officers] are saying we should have someone onsite.
"We're a small family-run business, we've got our children who work for the company, and there's only so much you can claim on your insurance."
She said that one field that had repeatedly been targeted became less of a problem after the family moved horses onto it.
"We've always got to be coming up with new things. The police do well, they always come out and try and help us but there's only so much they can do.
"We have them on CCTV but they cover their faces and their heads. They will get in no matter what."
Anyone with information on the thefts can contact 101.
