Former Holmfirth man charged with murdering wife at French chateau

Sep 9 2010 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

One said he had “survived” a holiday there and said: “Clearly, in the UK, a visit by a health and safety inspector would probably lead to closure of the whole site, as unfit for purpose for not meeting standards and regulations.

“It remains to be seen whether the French authorities will act in a similar way.

“The owners, Robert and Joanne Hall, clearly do not deploy adequate resources to operate and maintain their business at Fretay.

“Nor do they appear to have experience of what is required of them to maintain safety and security, or to comply with regulations.

“It is such a pity, as the setting could eventually live up to that glowingly portrayed on their website.

“The reality right now is regretfully something far worse, and needs drastic remedial action. Until then, our experiences say DON’T GO THERE”.

Another tourist wrote: “We are just back from a pretty awful holiday.

“We booked this accommodation direct over the internet, after speaking on the phone to the owners and e-mailing.

“We arrived to find the standard very, very poor. Our accommodation was scruffy and ‘thrown together’; lino and threadbare carpet, chipboard style wallpaper, some doors couldn’t close, door knobs fell off, handrail broke away from wall, the two showers leaked and worked poorly.

“Frequently our water supply was stopped for HOURS on end to service other accommodation on the small site so unable to use showers, taps, or loo. We had bats in our bedroom at night, and bat droppings on our bed during the day.”

It is claimed Hall had run into problems with environmental agencies over plans to cut down trees.

Mrs Hall’s body was allegedly found after their children raised the alarm.

It is thought to have been burnt, put in a cement mixer, then left entombed in a concrete block last Friday.