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Hall's £6m visitor plan
HISTORY buffs are set for an even warmer welcome at one of Derbyshire's most beautiful stately homes if £6m plans for a visitor centre project get the go-ahead.
The National Trust charity has submitted a planning application to convert disused stableyard buildings at Hardwick Hall into a new centre on the estate, at Doe Lea, near Chesterfield, with a new restaurant, shop and car park.
Denise Edwards, manager of the Tudor treasure house which dates back to the late 1500s, said: “This will provide visitors with a more enjoyable visit with modern facilities and better access.”
The Trust submitted its application to Bolsover District Council’s planning committee in June for them to consider at a future meeting to be arranged.
Hardwick Hall, which is one of the best preserved examples of an Elizabethan mansion in historic parkland, attracts thousands of visitors every year and hosts many events and may also feature in the next Harry Potter movie.
Designed
But its current restaurant and shop are within the hall and the Trust fears they are not designed to cope with the number of visitors and parts of its run-down Grade II listed stables are in desperate need of conservation.
The Trust stated the development and restoration of the stables would provide visitor facilities outside the home’s pay barrier so people could enjoy the grounds and centre without having to pay an entry fee for the home.
Ms Edwards added: “We feel these plans offer the most viable and environmentally sustainable solution to current problems.
“People will be able to make better use of the parkland without having to enter the hall and we’ll be able to better manage the flow of visitors on busy days which has conservation advantages for the building.”
The Trust is bidding for Government-backed grants to cover costs and if the development goes ahead it is expected to be complete by 2012 and open 364 days a year.
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Weather for Eastwood
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
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