Mum 'disappointed' as mediation with Vodaphone fails

A LINCOLNSHIRE mum has been left “disappointed” as mediation between 60 former and current Vodafone franchisees and the telecoms giant ends without resolution.

- BY LAYCIE BECK

Donna Watton, of Boston, is one of 62 people demanding that Vodafone takes responsibility after claims the company breached its’ duty of good faith and imposed irrational and arbitrary business decisions on franchisees.

The £120 million legal claim, filed in December 2024, is now expected to proceed to the High Court. Members of the claim say Vodafone's actions caused them and their families severe financial and personal distress, including reaching the edge of bankruptcy, and potential repossession of their homes.

Donna said: “We have been working together as a group really hard to find a way forward, and we were hoping to have a really good mediation with Vodafone which went ahead recently, but unfortunately we didn’t get the outcome from that that we wanted, which is really disappointing obviously.

“We are fully prepared and willing to go to High Court. We didn’t get what we wanted from mediation, but we are open and willing for further conversations.” The mum has described the situation as “really hard.”