The closure of the Gotelee Solicitors office in Hadleigh has left many residents—especially its older population—confused and upset. The Church Street branch, acquired early in 2024 by international law firm Mezzle, closed in October 2024, leaving clients scrambling for answers.

While the Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe, and Framlingham offices remain open, Hadleigh residents like 74-year-old Nigel Crisp feel abandoned. “Clients—some very longstanding—have been left in the dark,” Mr. Crisp said. “The website gives little information, and getting through by phone is nearly impossible.”

Mr. Crisp, a retired BT engineer, said he first learned of the closure when Simpson Solicitors, a firm now handling Gotelee’s wills, called to ask if he wanted to rewrite his will. “Gotelee confirmed that all the wills were taken away in bulk to Derbyshire, the head office of Simpsons,” he said.

Adding to the confusion, Mr. Crisp said he knows of families struggling to retrieve wills following the death of loved ones. “I’m personally trying to reclaim the deeds of my property stored at the Hadleigh office. I was told they were removed because they were old, but I wasn’t informed,” he added.

The transition comes after Gotelee, founded in 1880, was sold to Mezzle earlier this year. While the firm touted the acquisition as an “exciting time,” promising “business as usual” for clients, local residents are experiencing anything but.

Mezzle Chief Marketing Officer Derek Holota said the closure aligns with the firm’s focus on remote working and reduced office space. “The Hadleigh office will close, but nearby branches in Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe, and Framlingham will continue to serve clients. Home visits are also available,” he said.

The firm’s document storage capacity has been reduced, leading to the transfer of historic wills to Right Legal Group, trading as Simpson Solicitors. “They have started contacting clients on Gotelee’s behalf to confirm the safekeeping of their wills,” Holota added, urging clients to reach out directly.

Despite reassurances, the transition has caused distress. “The firm gave excellent and trusted service for years. In regard to recent experiences, the people of Hadleigh surely deserve better,” said Mr. Crisp.

For many in the town’s older population, the sudden changes raise unsettling questions about the reliability of essential services they once depended on. As one long-term resident put it, “We were promised continuity, but all we’re left with is confusion.”