Gateshead chicken row pair may yet crack it

Apr 11 2009 by Sam Wood, The Journal

HOPE has appeared on the horizon for an elderly Good Life couple who were threatened with eviction from their home over two pet chickens.

Pensioners Ronald and Elizabeth Lewis got the birds last year and keep them to combat soaring food prices and to be more self-sufficient.

They eat the eggs every day for breakfast, as well as growing their own vegetables, brewing their own beer and wine and keeping bees in their large garden.

But earlier this year Gateshead Housing Company, which runs their home on Dennison Crescent in Birtley for Gateshead Council, said it would start eviction proceeding after receiving complaints from neighbours.

The company also said there were health and safety issues and that it was against the tenancy regulations to keep any livestock, including chickens, in the gardens of the homes.

But the couple have refused to give in to the demands and still have the birds in their garden.

And after weeks of negotiations a compromise could be about to be reached. An obscure clause in the 1950 Allotment Act could mean that Ronald, 86 and his wife Elizabeth, 82, are allowed to keep their chickens.

Gateshead Council are now looking into the legal issues and a final decision is expected in the next few weeks.

A spokesman for the Gateshead Housing Company said: “Gateshead Council are currently seeking legal clarification on the matter. This may take several weeks, but as soon as we receive the clarification we will contact Mr and Mrs Lewis again.”

Mr Lewis, a retired engineer who has eight children and 27 grandchildren, said: “We are just keeping our fingers crossed now. We had a very good meeting with the housing company this week and things are looking promising. Nothing has been decided yet but I think we may be able to keep these chickens, and that would be great news.

“Elizabeth is delighted, she really loves those birds, it has been very upsetting for her that we might lose them. They mean a lot to both of us and they don’t cause any harm or make any noise.”

The couple have already received world wide support after The Journal told of their plight.

A Facebook group called Chickens NOT out has been set up and has hundreds of members from across the country, a petition was launched on the Downing Street website for a change in the law and an internet forum for chicken owners, omlet.co.uk, has been helping to campaign in support of the Lewis family.