Wye campaign law firm sets up city presence

The law firm behind a heavily promoted legal case being brought over pollution in the river Wye is opening a Hereford branch office.

Leigh Day says the office, in Broadway House in the city’s Broad Street, will provide a point of contact between its environment team and locals concerned over the river’s declining condition and other environmental issues.

The firm has been gathering support in Herefordshire and neighbouring counties for its planned legal action against local poultry firm Avara Foods, its co-owner US food and farming giant Cargill, and its Gloucestershire subsidiary Freemans of Newent.

It claims the firms have allowed chicken waste from their operations to harm the river, currently classed as in unfavourable and declining ecological condition, which has had a negative impact on businesses dependent on it and on people’s enjoyment of it.

The law firm wants the poultry firms to clean up the existing damage to the river and to pay compensation to the people and businesses affected.

It sent them an initial “letter before action” in July, and has since advertised widely through various channels for people affected by the issue to join the legal action.

Leigh Day now plans to hold weekly legal clinics about its claim starting on November 6, and will also host a roundtable event for local businesses at the Globe, Hay-on-Wye on November 13.

Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland, who is leading the claim, said: “With the river being such a vital hub for local communities and businesses, we felt it was important to establish a presence in the area so that we can continue engaging with people locally as the legal action grows further.”

In August Mr Holland said “around 1,500” people had joined the legal campaign.