JUDY Murray has angrily defended her Wimbledon Champion son against claims he is a “wicked” landlord.
Andy Murray faces a storm of criticism over the decision to give notice to tenants living in the grounds of his luxury hotel development near Dunblane to make way for staff.
The Murray family have until now stayed silent on the issue, despite Andy being branded a “moron” and “disgrace” by his critics.
Ms Murray came out fighting yesterday, revealing in a newspaper interview that she had signed the deal and describing it as “professional and caring”.
It emerged last week that a number of families living near to the Cromlix Hotel, which Murray bought for £1.8m last year, had been given weeks to move from their homes.
One of the tenants at The Square, Kathleen Brown, 29, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and has a young daughter said that she was “devastated” to learn she would have to move from her home.
Ms Murray hit back: “I feel this has been manufactured into a story and Andy has been dragged into this when he has no knowledge of any of this.
“The facts are I agreed to buy the house in The Square with vacant possession and with the short-term leases it was thought there would be no problem.”
Caring
She added: “It is quite simple. The hotel was bought and then we entered negotiations to buy The Square.
“It makes a great story to portray Andy as some kind of wicked owner throwing people out on to the street. But there is one problem with that: it is not true.
“The simple fact is that there is no public transport to the hotel and we felt we had to provide for our staff who could be working late at functions of whatever.
“It was the obvious move to buy The Square and we have gone about it in a professional and caring manner. The tenants have always known the situation and I understand that accommodation for them will be found.
“It is important for us to put something back in our backyard.
“ I accept that there may be cynical comments about making money but we could have bought a hotel anywhere. We are conscious that this will bring more than 40 jobs to the local community and will revitalise a local asset.”
Families living at The Square said they had been served with notice to quit orders which meant they have just weeks to move home.
They spoke out and were appealing to Murray and the management company to let them stay.
Devastated
The properties are currently owned by Henry and Edward Eden who said that all the families living in The Square were on short-term leases.
Speaking last week, Miss Brown, who lives with her 9-year-old daughter, Holly, said: “We are being evicted from our homes here at the Square to make way for staff quarters for Andy Murray’s hotel.
“We have been given 40 days to find somewhere else to live.
“When I read the eviction letter, I was devastated and burst into tears.”
Miss Brown quit her job four years ago as she suffers from multiple sclerosis. She said that she had originally signed a lease for six months to December last year, and was currently on a month to month deal.
It was not just the families involved who expressed their anger towards Murray, with a number of people taking to Twitter to vent their anger.
Lee Mac (corr.) said: “If you evict that family you are a disgrace!! Think I will turn up to Wimbledon and protest!”
While Lisa Thornton said: “Never liked Andy Murray and like him even less now. Moron of the week goes to you Andy, you toffee nosed spoilt brat.”
