Cancel the hunt ball - Protect the Wild

Cancel the Holcombe Harriers Hunt ball!

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Dear

I am are writing to express my deep concern and disappointment that Lavender Hotels intends to host the hunt ball for the Holcombe Harriers on the 30th October, a hunt long associated with the cruel and outdated practice of chasing and killing wildlife with hounds.

There is nothing “traditional” or “harmless” about hunting. It is an act of fear, suffering, and death inflicted on our nation’s wildlife,  foxes, hares, and deer,  in the name of entertainment. Though hunting with dogs was banned almost twenty years ago, hunts like the Holcombe Harriers continue to exploit loopholes under the false pretext of “trail hunting.”

This isn’t just about wildlife. Hunts cause widespread harm and distress:
• Wild animals continue to be chased, injured, and killed illegally.
• Hounds and horses are used, mistreated, and discarded when no longer “useful.”
• Rural residents face disruption, trespass, blocked roads, and intimidation.

The record of the Holcombe Harriers demonstrates why this cruelty must no longer be tolerated:
• 2018: Lancashire Rural Police confirmed that a deer was killed by Holcombe hounds, with the incident investigated under the Protection of Badgers Act and Hunting Act.
• 2020: Footage from the Hunt Saboteurs Association showed Holcombe and Rockwood Harriers terriermen blocking a badger sett and behaving violently towards peaceful monitors.
• 2021: The Manchester Hunt Saboteurs reported that Holcombe’s Boxing Day meet at Tottington was dropped after complaints, describing the hunt as “known for illegally killing wildlife.”
• 2022: The Lancashire Evening Post reported that Holcombe’s hound parade had moved to Pleasington — a sign of the growing public rejection of the hunt.
• 2024: Protect the Wild revealed that Greene King withdrew permission for a Holcombe Harriers event on “Smokescreen Saturday” (National Trail Hunting Day) after public outcry.

These incidents form part of a long and troubling pattern. Wildlife Guardian records show previous police investigations into Holcombe, including a 2015 visit to their kennels after a “bagged fox” tip-off, and a 2013 case in which the hunt killed a hare at Brindle.

Reports by the League Against Cruel Sports (Hunt Havoc Report 2022) and Protect the Wild’s Hunt Havoc campaign (2021) further expose how hunts across the country continue to wreak havoc on roads, railways, and communities, behaviour regularly observed among the Holcombe Harriers.

By providing a platform for this hunt, Lavender Hotels risks aligning its brand with cruelty, illegality, and public anger. This decision stands in stark contrast to the values of kindness, integrity, and respect for life that your guests, staff, and communities expect and admire.

We therefore call upon Lavender Hotels to:
• Immediately cancel this event, and
• Adopt a clear policy refusing future bookings from hunts or organisations linked to wildlife persecution.

Doing so would send a powerful and positive message, that your business stands for compassion, not cruelty; for respect, not disregard; for a countryside where wildlife is protected, not persecuted.

The vast majority of the UK public rejects hunting. People want to see an end to animal suffering and a countryside safe for all who live in it. Lavender Hotels has the power to stand on the right side of history, by choosing compassion over cruelty and integrity over indifference.

We urge you to do the right thing.
Please cancel the Holcombe Harriers Hunt Ball.

With respect and hope,
The Undersigned

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Cancel the Holcombe Harriers Hunt ball!

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