The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A retired lady who has raised £23,000 for charity by selling items from her Holbeach home over the last three years has been told she can no longer do so without planning permission.
Ann Gregory always wanted a dog, but instead has devoted that last few years to raising money for the Jerry Green Dog Rescue by putting up a stall at her Boston Road South home.
But now she says a member of the public has complained and a South Holland District Council officer has told her she needs change of use planning permission for her home to be used as part of a business which would cost hundreds of pounds.
“I’m just really saddened that it’s come to this,” she said. “Like everybody I wasn’t doing much over COVID, so I put a table out with bits I wanted to get rid of and an honesty box.
“I was surprised by how successful it was.
“I didn’t do it for the money, so instead I donated it to Jerry Green Dog Rescue.
“It’s just grown from there, everyone in Holbeach knows what I’m doing and now people from all over send me bits to sell for the charity.”
After raising £1,958 in 2020 she raised a staggering £15,000 for the dog rescue charity in 2021 and had already raised £6,000 this year.
Up until recently it was held every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
That was until she says she was visited by a council official who told her of the anonymous complaint and the need to submit the planning application.
“I don’t take a penny for myself,” Ann continued. “I don’t want to have to use the Jerry Green money to pay for the planning permission.
“That money should be going to the charity.
“I’ve also made so many friends with people walking down and popping in to stop for a chat while the goods are on.
“One woman told me she always pops down for a short walk as I’m likely to be the only person she speaks to that day.
“I don’t need this aggro.
“My husband Malcolm has quite bad Parkinson’s, is being investigated for a lump on his lung and is going to have a hernia operation.
“I just want to help continue raising money for Jerry Green.”
Dave Phillips, who helps Ann out, said: “I find it shocking someone has complained about this, it’s evil.
“She’s an amazing woman who’s part of Holbeach.”
The Voice contacted South Holland District Council for a comment but it had not received one at the time of going to press.
