Pensioners defend their pigeons - and a piece of history

31/12/2007

A group of pensioners has vowed to save their Grade II-listed pigeon loft which is being threatened with demolition by developers - and they are prepared to hold a vigil against bailiffs on New Year's Day. They will be supported by 21 other allotment holders who are equally determined to save what they regard as a precious piece of their history.

Known locally as the cree, the pigeon loft is based on a sprawling allotment in the former pit village of Ryhope near Sunderland. The cree's owner, retired miner Maurice Surtees, 75, built the cree in 1955 with his brother. He said:  "We will fight them in and out of court. One thing is for certain, we are not giving up.

"It is the world's only listed cree, and it's a remarkable building with a remarkable history. When it was given listed status as far as I was concerned that was it. No one could touch it. The bailiffs are coming on New Year's Day - and we will be there. We don't want any trouble, we are all pensioners, but we won't give up easily."

WorkTalent Ltd, based in Newcastle, who own the land, have offered the men a £250,000 compensation package to move out, and the use of a new site at Tunstall Bank if they move. But they seem to have failed to grasp that not everyone or everything can be bought. Said Maurice: "The money means nothing to us. We just want to keep looking after our gardens."

Lewis Llewellyn who uses the allotments and is another keen pigeon fancier, said: "They have tried to send us a threatening letter to say the bailiffs are coming on January the first. We will be there. We will put a barricade up if needs be.

"And if they try to come down here with a bulldozer, they will have more than us to contend with."

Lewis hopes the people of Ryhope will rally round in the allotment holders' hour of need, adding: "I would like to see as many people there as possible. They could offer us £20 million and it would not make a difference."

Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, has raised the issue in Parliament and is backing their campaign. He said: "It would be in the best interests of everybody if this piece of land, which has no real development value, was to be transferred to a community trust for the benefit of the children of Ryhope.

"This is a callous and unnecessary threat to these men. They are pensioners and all they ask in life is to get a bit of food from their allotment and care for their allotment. Now they have been written to to say the bailiffs will be going in and will physically remove the pensioners from the site.

"This cree is regarded as culturally significant as the world's only Grade-II listed pigeon loft. It is an important piece of working class culture. It has been there many, many years and should remain there for many more years to come."

Worktalent were unavailable for comment.