Report - Bunting & Sons, Colchester July 2017

[mookster]

Bunting & Sons had a nearly 200 year history, but these sprawling greenhouses were only constructed in the 1960s. They were primarily for the purpose of tomato growing and research into pest controls for tomato plants. The company's findings made them greatly successful however production ceased in late 2000.

They diversified into other business fields including purchasing the local pub whilst drawing up plans to open a heritage centre on the site. This met with stiff opposition from the local community and planning permission was turned down year after year. The ongoing legal battles eventually bled the company dry owing a reported £14.5million - and they reportedly owed the local village shop £3000! They lost all their assets after the court battle including this site which is now owned by the same housing developer who is putting crappy box homes on the old Severalls site.

I seem to have a knack of managing to explore places involving large greenhouses during the summer months for some reason and this one was no exception, stuffy doesn't even begin to describe it. After entering the site we were aware of some activity going on at one end and the well-used access road in the middle of the site so did a bit more sneaking around than I'd imagined. We were being all stealthy and quiet but that silence was soon broken when we found a group of Gloucester Old Spot pigs inside a fenced off area of one of the large greenhouses - much loud grunting and oinking later and we left the trio of friendly pigs behind before they alerted anyone nearby to our presence!

Thanks for looking ​

 

[HughieD]

Decent set there @mookster

What's going on in that last pic?

 

[Giymo85]

Decent set there @mookster

What's going on in that last pic?

Would appear to be a scale model of a rural area with some interesting additional items. Unless wherever it is meant to represent really does have a gigantic bench and action figure. Could be our roadside attraction homage to Route 66.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Nice set there. A lot more interesting than I expected. The display area & model are different. I wonder why they were so set on a heritage centre, thats a long drawn out battle and a mass amount of loss.

 

[KPUrban_]

That's rather nice. Loving the pipes buried within a bush.

 

[Jane Doe]

Like that ... i do love pigs they are so loud and curious lol great set of photos

 

[JackStride]

Funny sorry about this place when I visited I actually found the keys and the log book for the old vauxhall van! Left them on the front seat I wonder if anyone tried to do it up and sell it 😂

 

[Fido Dido's Cousin]

Funny sorry about this place when I visited I actually found the keys and the log book for the old vauxhall van! Left them on the front seat I wonder if anyone tried to do it up and sell it 😂

I do like the van is still being registered as SORN each year. Not sure if the records aren't up to date or are incorrect, but that's weird if someone is keeping the SORN status on that van. Then again, you'd see worse states of vehicles in people's front gardens, I guess!