Dalton Grange to finally close as wedding venue

employees of what used to be ICI and Zeneca.

The club wound up in 2012 after a decline in membership but the Deans were allowed to trade from the building – while Syngenta continued to pay all the bills including business rates, heating, lighting, water and insurance.

The company says it has had to foot a maintenance bill of more than £200,000 since 2011 and has received no income from the Deans.

Now Syngenta say the Grange will close its doors at the end of August and the Deans have been told to leave.

It is believed there were up to six other residents living in the building earlier this year. Part of the land was also used for John Smith’s Stadium match day parking – funds which Syngenta say went into the hospitality business.

A spokesman for the company said: “From when Mr and Mrs Dean were served notice more than four years ago, we have kept the heating on, continued to pay costly bills and followed a proper legal process to regain possession of the building.

“Mr and Mrs Dean have recently consented to vacating the premises by the end of August with no financial settlement from Syngenta.

“What began many years ago as the company subsidising a social club in good faith, turned into Syngenta underpinning significant running costs for a private business against its will.

“Syngenta did not consider it appropriate for a private hospitality and weddings business to operate from within the boundary of their manufacturing operations.”

Syngenta says it now plans to explore alternative uses for the building, consistent with its manufacturing operations.

In a statement the Deans said: “Unfortunately for the residents and local community, Syngenta was able to use its financial might and legal costs, so that we have had to abandon our fight to keep Dalton Grange open.

“We asked Syngenta, through our solicitor, for a proper commercial lease or to consider selling the building to us, but they have refused even to negotiate this with us, and we have no idea what they plan to do with Dalton Grange.

“We have committed our hearts and soul and a great deal of money and investment to Dalton Grange and are sorry to leave in this way.”