Attleborough, a town so beset by infighting it has earned the nickname Battleborough, is again in turmoil – this time over an apparent outbreak of dirty tricks. Several local businesses have reported hoax orders they believe are linked to ongoing tensions around the town council. Firms have been left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after being booked for work on false pretences.
In one case, a £180 Chinese takeaway was ordered to the Griffin Hotel without the pub’s knowledge. In another, a cleaning company was sent to an office in town that had not requested the job. Both targeted business owners – pub landlord Daniel Burcham and occupational health firm boss Tracy Turner – had previously voiced opinions about the splits in the town. They suspect that made them targets, though the firms that actually lost money had no part in the feuds.
The strange incidents have fuelled speculation about who might be behind them, adding a whiff of Agatha Christie intrigue to the already divided market town.
A town divided by its council
Tensions in Attleborough have simmered for months, centred on controversy surrounding its town councillors. Locals have criticised a string of unpopular decisions, including taking back management of a building used by Attleborough Town Football Club and scheduling a Christmas market on the same weekend as a long-running independent carnival, forcing its temporary cancellation.
But the anger runs deeper than council business.
From pub lease to public feud
The dispute dates back to March, when councillor Daniel Burcham had his lease for the Bear pub withdrawn by its owners, the Taylor family – three of whom also sit on the town council. The Taylors said he had breached the lease terms; he disputes that and now runs the Griffin pub.
The disagreement triggered fierce online debate, with critics questioning the Taylors’ role. The family deny wrongdoing and say they have been unfairly targeted for decisions taken collectively by the council.
Scandal deepens divisions
Hostility grew when another councillor, Stephen Fraser, was convicted of criminal damage after smashing the window of a local business while drunk. CCTV showed then-mayor Taila Taylor near the scene, and she later said she had been unaware of the incident.
Since then, local Facebook pages have become battlegrounds, featuring sharp criticism and even cartoon depictions of councillors.
Council members, in turn, have accused residents of intimidation and abuse – reporting incidents from shouting and slapping to damage to their cars. Town meetings have grown heated, with heckling, shouting, and demands for resignations. The bitterness has split the town into factions supporting rival groups of councillors.
Amid the deepening rancour, an emergency council meeting has been called for Monday to address the crisis.
There is no suggestion any of the councillors themselves have been involved in the dirty tricks.
The hoax orders
The first hoax saw a £180 meal from Lucky House Chinese restaurant delivered to the Griffin Hotel. Landlord Daniel Burcham said the order “just turned up” without warning.
“It is such a brutal waste of time and money,” he said. “At the end of the day, this is someone’s livelihood.”
The second hoax involved a Norwich-based cleaning firm, Foxclean, booked for a day’s work at Turners Occupational Health. Owner Tracy Turner only found out when the cleaners arrived.
She believes she was targeted because she publicly supported the Taylor family. Earlier this year, she posted on Facebook about facing “public pressure, the spreading of rumours and attempts to dictate who I can and cannot support in our town.”
She said the hoax booking involved a fake email address and Google account, and has been reported to Action Fraud. Foxclean lost a full day’s income due to what she called “someone’s cruel actions.”
Making false orders of this kind could be considered an offence under the Fraud Act.
A community in search of calm
As Attleborough prepares for its emergency meeting, residents are hoping tempers will cool – and that the town can move past the recriminations that have earned it its bitter nickname.
This article is based on one by Local Democracy Reporting.
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