ELVASTON CASTLE

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Let us look at what Councillor Bob Janes, Chair of the County Council Working Party on Elvaston Castle, refers to as an 18 hole golf course. To start with, a golf course requires members. To be commercially viable, a lot of members. On average, 800 to 1000. These members will require facilities to a good standard, and all the necessary staff to be successful.

So, let's start with the club house: a very large building. Member's changing rooms, male/female and the necessary toilets etc., Social rooms, committee rooms, reataurant, bar, etc.,

Shall we have built-in residence rooms and facilities for the course manager, or will there be a seperate residential building/buildings for managerial staff? On the subject of buildings there will be:

1. Enough to house all the machinery
2. Repair/maintenance building
3. Pro shop
4. Members storage for carts, trolleys.
5. Garages for most senior staff.

Then we will require a putting green, nets for driving practice and a practice range large enough to accommodate a No 1 wood, at least some 350 yards in length. Then there is a car park for members which will have to be alongside the club house and a new road for the members and commercial vehicles to get to the club.

There has been no mention at all about a new road and car park has there Councillor Janes? Are the members expected to walk with all their luggage from the existing car park to the club house and facilities? And, further more, where will the new car park be for the hotel guests? Can we have some answers please? Councillor Frank Leeming

A loud silence still hangs over the truth about the way that Derbyshire County Council is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the people regarding it's intended disposal of Elvaston Castle. We have some news for one and all - The County Council itself, the newspapers who turn the other way. The radio stations who want to stand on the sidelines and report the news, not stand up for their listeners and patrons. The councillors who cringe behind their desks and hope that they won't be asked to rock the boat.

The message is simple, the people won't be fooled, and they most certainly will not forgive and forget - the truth will out, sooner rather than later. If you are arrogant enough to believe that you can live without your vastly inflated salaries, carry on the way you are doing! The people of Derbyshire and the world are on the march, we won't be silenced. Derbyshire County Council has been hiding the truth all the way along, and their sordid behaviour is becoming predictable and will catch up with them.

Last week (11-17th October 2004) all County Council employees working on the Elvaston estate have been leaned on and effectively gagged from speaking publicly about what is going on, on pain of dismissal. Despite the County Council's denials regarding the inevitable sale of the estate to the developers Highgate Sanctuary should it get it's way, on the Tuesday Richard Bonner the estate manager, showed Tanya Spilsbury, the director of Highgate Sanctuary around the estate, specifically the Old English Garden, and workman's bothies, to examine the possibility of turning them into accommodation for the hotel complex.

She was heard to say that the water tower there overlooked the garden and would make an ideal conversion for that reason. It is also reported by Mickey the Mouse that she restated Highgate's intention to restore the core gardens, saying that it would make "A Nice Prospect For the Clients To The Hotel." This is not something that we have made up, and rest assured that we will defend our corner against all comers. The Castle was open and lit up the same morning, the car park was full of cars.

The Council and the contractors think that nothing can stop them now! Their arrogance, however, will be their undoing! We are far from defeated, despite the cowardice, lies and dirty tricks perpetrated against us, the people. On behalf of all of us, you know where you can stick your hotel, you know where you can stick your golf course. Most of all, you know where you can stick yourselves. Excalibur

Elvaston Castle Estate Trust withdrew from a joint bid with Highgate Sanctuary because of conflicts with our aims and objectives, only one of which was public access. Other serious issues were also seen by the trust to be not in the public interest. We have yet to see any final plans that clearly mark the proposed restricted areas, but as Highgate Sanctuary has suggested that the hotel is to be five-star, one would assume its paying guests would expect a certain degree of privacy. In order for the hotel to be viable, it has been suggested by Highgate Sanctuary that extensive new build would be necessary, in the form of a 120-bedroom extension, a conference centre and a private health club.

We can only assume the amount of grounds these proposals would take up, but feel they would be extensive and obtrusive. The trust has yet to see any financial projections that would suggest that no charge to the restored grade I gardens and country park is a viable option. Highgate Sanctuary has declared that revenue would be earned from parking charges, with the actual amount still unknown. This we question, but until we see any figures we cannot comment fully. Golf courses are not the money spinners they once were and converting Elvaston into a luxury hotel with 670,000 non-paying visitors with little or no restrictions on access seems to suggest conflict at all levels.

What happens if the hotel fails? What will the castle then become? The trust has always maintained that with 670,000 visitors a year and a creative marketing strategy, Elvaston would easily be sustainable as it stands. Derbyshire County Council earns 26p per visitor, but the national average for a visitor attraction of this type is £8.60. Under the trust's direction, the castle would be restored in phases as a conference centre, wedding venue and offices, without the need for extensive new build. The castle would also house the visitor centre and the trust would reopen the museum and children's farm. The trust would also qualify for grant assistance from various national organisations and a major lottery grant. In conclusion, the trust continues to oppose any sale or lease of the castle and estate to a commercial developer. Karen Sims-Neighbour