Update

GEORGE NEWS - Solving the problems presented by the alleged drug house in Cathedral Street is more challenging than meets the eye. It's not as simple as getting rid of the inhabitants and selling the property.

Since George Herald reported on the house, some of the children who were living in precarious and filthy conditions in the house have been removed or taken elsewhere by social workers. It can still not be confirmed whether all the children have been removed.

Last week Olivier Garden Services was instructed to clean the yard around the house. It is unclear who gave the instruction.

Cleaning operations started on Thursday 5 March and it took three men a day and a half to clean the property to relative satisfaction.

However, business owners and residents in the area say this does not solve the problem.

"It has been a thorn in everybody's side for many years," one business owner said. "Our building has a long history of burglaries that are no doubt linked to our neighbours. We have already had fixtures stolen from our property and a contractor threatened with a knife. The attempt to clean the yard has done little to improve the situation. We still have a den of iniquity in our midst. 

"This is a prime business premises and could be home to a business providing gainful employment. Instead it is scaring away customers who are too afraid to leave their cars unattended or walk past the house, even in broad daylight. It's a disgrace that it has gone unchecked for so very long."

The overgrown backyard of the alleged drug house in Cathedral Street was cleaned on Thursday and Friday, 5 and 6 March.

According to a source there have been a couple of eager potential buyers for some time, but no reasons could be confirmed as to why the property has not been sold.

George Herald was also told that Godfrey Oliphant, the person referred to as the owner in a previous article, is not the sole owner of the property. The property apparently belongs to a company / entity of which Oliphant was the director, but the company has apparently been de-registered. 

The other members of the board could not be traced. No comment regarding the house or a potential sale has been received from any of the alleged owners. A petition started on Care2Petitions two weeks ago in an attempt to resolve the issues surrounding the alleged drug house, has drawn 425 signatures. Their goal is 10 000.