A beloved Hampshire farm shop, once a backdrop for children's television classic Teletubbies, is now the centre of a bitter and costly High Court war within the family that built it.
A Family Legacy Torn Apart
The dispute over The Country Market in Bordon, Hampshire, erupted following the death of its 'pioneering founder' Peter Marshall in January 2017, aged 81. The business, which started as a simple farm shop in 1971 and grew into a 200-acre spread with a butchers, coffee shop, and other attractions, is now valued at around £6.6 million.
Peter's widow, June Marshall, 86, supported by their daughter Sharon, is taking their sons to court. They insist the family partnership that runs the business was dissolved by Peter's death and must be wound up. Their goal is to see the site sold and the proceeds split.
However, her sons, Gary, 61, and Dean Marshall, 57, who have run the day-to-day operations for decades, are fighting desperately to keep the thriving business within the family and continue trading.
From Morris Traveller to Multimillion-Pound Enterprise
The market was the brainchild of Peter and June Marshall. In the 1970s, June helped sell their produce by driving door-to-door in her Morris Traveller. From a smallholding of a few acres, the enterprise expanded significantly by 1983 and eventually included a car boot sale, restaurant, garden centre, and shopping outlets.
The business, originally housed in an iconic oak barn until a fire in 2010, also gained fame as a filming location for shows like BBC1's Down to Earth and, most notably, Teletubbies.
The partnership was later expanded to include all three children. The court heard that after Peter's death, disputes arose over winding up the partnership, paying his estate, and crucially, whether his death had automatically ended the partnership.
A Costly Legal Battle with High Stakes
The case recently reached London's High Court, where a pre-trial hearing focused on whether the brothers had previously made binding legal admissions agreeing the partnership should end. Lawyers for June and Sharon pointed to a September 2019 letter from the brothers' legal team which stated there was 'no dispute' that the partnership must be wound up and sold.
The brothers' solicitor, Richard Flenley, argued any such admission was made in error and withdrawing it was vital to protect the value of the business they had built over 30 years. Deputy Master John Linwood ruled against them, refusing permission to withdraw the admission.
He also revealed the two-day hearing alone had cost the family £210,000 in legal fees, urging them to negotiate a settlement before a full trial, where costs will escalate rapidly. June's side argues she needs funds from the sale for her financial security.
The future of The Country Market now hangs in the balance, awaiting either a trial or a last-minute family agreement to end a feud that threatens both a legacy and a livelihood.
