A long-running legal battle to shut down a Huddersfield wedding venue is set to end next month.

Chemical giants Syngenta, which owns historic mansion house Dalton Grange, asked lawyers as long ago as 2013 to start legal proceedings to evict the people who live there including former stewards Mike and Kim Dean, who have been running the dilapidated building as a party venue for many years.

The Grange on Bradley Mills Road was previously home to the now-defunct Dalton Grange Social Club, a club for retired employees of what used to be ICI and Zeneca.

The club wound up in 2012 after a decline in membership but the Deans were allowed to trade from the building – while Syngenta continued to pay all the bills including business rates, heating, lighting, water and insurance.

The company says it has had to foot a maintenance bill of more than £200,000 since 2011 and has received no income from the Deans.

Now Syngenta say the Grange will close its doors at the end of August and the Deans have been told to leave.

Syngenta logo

It is believed there were up to six other residents living in the building earlier this year. Part of the land was also used for John Smith’s Stadium match day parking – funds which Syngenta say went into the hospitality business.

A spokesman for the company said: “From when Mr and Mrs Dean were served notice more than four years ago, we have kept the heating on, continued to pay costly bills and followed a proper legal process to regain possession of the building.

“Mr and Mrs Dean have recently consented to vacating the premises by the end of August with no financial settlement from Syngenta.

The lounge of Dalton Grange, Bradley Mills Road, Huddersfield.

“What began many years ago as the company subsidising a social club in good faith, turned into Syngenta underpinning significant running costs for a private business against its will.

“Syngenta did not consider it appropriate for a private hospitality and weddings business to operate from within the boundary of their manufacturing operations.”

Syngenta says it now plans to explore alternative uses for the building, consistent with its manufacturing operations.

Dalton Grange, Bradley Mills Road, Huddersfield.

In a statement the Deans said: “Unfortunately for the residents and local community, Syngenta was able to use its financial might and legal costs, so that we have had to abandon our fight to keep Dalton Grange open.

“We asked Syngenta, through our solicitor, for a proper commercial lease or to consider selling the building to us, but they have refused even to negotiate this with us, and we have no idea what they plan to do with Dalton Grange.

“We have committed our hearts and soul and a great deal of money and investment to Dalton Grange and are sorry to leave in this way.”