Golf Legend's Seven-Year Legal Dispute Over Luxury Lodges Advances to Court of Appeal
Former Women's British Open champion Vivien Saunders OBE has secured the right to escalate her protracted legal conflict with tenants residing in upmarket lodges on her Cambridgeshire land to the Court of Appeal. This development follows a withering High Court judgment that dismissed her claims and delivered severe criticism of her conduct.
The Core of the Dispute
Saunders, who triumphed at the Women's British Open in 1977, initiated proceedings against the twenty occupants of luxury log chalets at Abbotsley Country Homes in St Neots. She alleged they were in breach of their 125-year leases, which could have resulted in the forfeiture of their properties. The tenants countered that this was a cynical ploy to evict them, clearing the path for a lucrative £20 million residential development deal on the adjacent disused Abbotsley Golf Course, which Saunders also owns.
In a damning ruling issued in October, High Court Judge Karen Walden-Smith rejected Saunders' claims outright. The judge characterized Saunders as 'manipulative', 'bullying', and 'abusive', and noted instances where the plaintiff had 'sought to deliberately mislead the court'. The judge found no basis for key allegations, including claims of water supply theft via a clandestine pipe, and deemed other alleged lease breaches unfounded or trivial.
Permission to Appeal Granted
Despite this stinging rebuke and facing estimated legal costs of £1 million, Saunders has now been granted permission to continue her fight. Court of Appeal judge Lord Justice Arnold concluded that the appeal has a 'real prospect of success', notwithstanding the submissions from the respondents. Following the ruling, Saunders told the Mail her only comment was that 'one of the grounds was the behaviour of the [High Court] judge.'
This decision has devastated the lodge occupants, many of whom are elderly or retired and have already spent approximately £500,000 on their defence. They now face the prospect of needing to raise a further £125,000 for legal representation at the Court of Appeal, leading them to establish a crowdfunding campaign for public support.
Residents' Anguish and Wider Allegations
The residents expressed profound shock and distress at the appeal being allowed. Gini Melesi, a 57-year-old cancer nurse, stated she was 'absolutely shocked' given the High Court judge had 'wrapped it all up' and pointed out Saunders had lied in court. 'Some people have used all their savings. Some have come out of retirement and gone back to work,' Melesi said. 'That's the stark fact of it – and we can't even sell the places to get money.'
The dispute has been marked by extreme acrimony and wider tragic consequences. Marketing consultant Ross Warren, 34, revealed his father Neil committed suicide two years ago during a separate dispute with Saunders. A coroner ruled the case had a 'significant and damaging bearing' on the retired businessman's mental health. Furthermore, Saunders was convicted of common assault in 2023 after driving her vehicle into a lodge owner on crutches, a conviction she later lost an appeal against.
Historical Context and Legal Arguments
Saunders, a qualified solicitor and Mensa member, purchased the land in tranches between 1986 and 1991. The legal battle originated from a dispute over a water pipe allegedly connected to her supply without her knowledge when the lodges were built. This escalated into broader claims regarding lease conditions, including rules about primary residences and commercial use.
Representing the management company Pheasantland and the occupants, Richard Bottomley argued it was not credible that the chalets were constructed without a proper water connection. The tenants maintain they had an agreement for supplied water and were billed for it between 2011 and 2017, before issues arose in 2018 with a large 'maximum daily demand' charge.
Saunders' barrister, Kerry Bretherton KC, framed the case as involving 'very serious anti-social behaviour' directed against her client. The legal advisers for Saunders, Chattertons, have stated they do not intend to make any further comment at this stage.
As the case prepares for the Court of Appeal, it represents a deeply contentious and emotionally charged property conflict, pitting a sporting legend against residents who fear losing their homes and life savings in a legal war of attrition.
