HC Deb 08 June 1959 vol 606 cc74-6W
Mr. Strauss

asked the Minister of Works how many gardeners are employed at Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire; what is the annual wage bill; how many guards are employed at week-ends and at what cost; how much the takings have been from visitors during recent weeks; when work was started on restoring the 18th century bowling pavilion and other buildings in these grounds and when it is likely to be completed; and whether, as these historically interesting grounds were laid out by Capability Brown and are costing much in upkeep, he will take steps to restore the buildings still in disrepair as quickly as possible and inform the public by adequate advertisement of the existence of this park.

Mr. Molson

The house and gardens at Wrest Park are leased by my Department to the British Society for Research in Agricultural Engineering, an independent body for which I have no responsibility. The National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, which occupies the house, also maintains the gardens, and it estimates that about one quarter of the time of its sixteen horticultural workers is spent on the maintenance of the formal gardens, woods and parklands, at a cost of about £2,000 a year.

The historic parts of the grounds are open to the public at week-ends and on Bank Holidays from Easter to the end of September. Six part-time custodians are employed by my Department when the grounds are open. Their cost to the Ministry in 1958–59 was £210 2s. 10d.

The grounds were opened this year on 21st March, and the takings for the eleven week-ends up to 31st May were £21 12s. 0d.

Work on restoring the buildings, ornaments and other features in the gardens was started in September, 1949. It is now proceeding as quickly as circumstances allow and will, I hope, be completed by 1961. While many of the more interesting buildings have been under repair, I have not thought it fair to encourage the public to visit Wrest Park. It is, however, mentioned in the Ministry's Regional Guide to Ancient Monuments in East Anglia and the Midlands, and its opening each year is notified through the Press. Further publicity measures will be taken as the repairs near completion.