Lord backs Newstead Abbey appeal
A HIGH-profile plea by the Dispatch to save and protect Newstead Abbey has acquired an eminent supporter.
The Earl of Lytton, a direct descendant of the poet Lord Byron, is backing us all the way.
In our front-page story last week, we emphasised that the abbey, which was Byron's ancestral home, is the Dispatch district's most important tourist attraction, visited by people from all over the world. The article declared 'Hands Off Our Abbey'.
Our exclusive report revealed that the iconic venue is threatened by the double whammy of the credit crunch and the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Owners Nottingham City Council have now given the go-ahead to plans which will mean the abbey being closed for three days every week.
At the same time, cash which would normally be spent on ancient buildings like the abbey is allegedly being diverted to the National Lottery to help finance the London Games.
From the start of April, the abbey house will be open just from Thursdays to Sundays, although the gardens will stay open all through the week.
This is one of the measures taken by the council to help them balance their books and keep down their council tax.
Lord Lytton, who is president of Newstead Abbey Byron Society (NABS), described the cut in opening days of the abbey house as 'regrettable.'
He said: "The whole thinking behind the abbey being vested with the city council was for public benefit. That benefit will be less available if opportunities for visits there are reduced.
"It should be pointed out that the abbey will still need to be maintained. It also seems vital for the reduced opening to be widely publicised so that visitors do not make unnecessary journeys, ending in disappointment.
"A number of devoted people put in a lot of hard work to run the abbey and I hope their contributions will continue to be recognised.
"I would always support some blueprint being put forward for enhancing operations at Newstead, rather than closing them down.
"The abbey should not be regarded as just any old museum. It has important connotations as a focal point for everything to do with Byron and Romantic poetry as a whole."
John Healey, chief executive of the tourism group Experience Nottinghamshire, said flexibility about when people took their holidays meant that tourist attractions should be open on a seven-day-a-week basis.
He thought the council's decision was 'disappointing' but added: "People should not be too despondent because tourism is a very resilient and durable product."
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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