Longleat ‘lockout’: Ramblers claim they are being barred from Lord Bath’s country estate

February 4th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

By
Emma Reynolds

Last updated at 3:53 PM on 4th February 2012

Villagers living near Lord Bath’s country estate are furious after claiming they have been banned from walking or cycling on his land.

The ramblers, who have had free access to the 100,000-acre grounds for centuries, say they are now being stopped by security staff and told to buy a £27.50 day pass required by visitors to the famous Longleat Safari Park.

The row follows several bitter disputes over the ongoing ‘modernisation’ of the estate since control was handed to Lord Bath’s son Ceawlin Thynn, 36, last year.

'Arrogance': The ramblers say they are now being kicked out by security and ordered to pay £27.50

‘Arrogance’: The ramblers say they are now being kicked out by security and ordered to pay £27.50

Sholto Walker, 46, who has been cycling across the land, for years, accused the landowners of arrogance.

She said: ‘I regularly cycle through Longleat along with hundreds of other people from Frome and Warminster.

‘Although nothing has been said officially, we don’t feel welcome. Many people have been told walkers and cyclists will not be allowed in the park any more.

‘They put up large yellow security barriers at the entrances which make it difficult for cyclists to get in.

‘It is the only safe access route between the towns and has been very popular with the community for a long time.

‘I understand that they have every right to do this, it is a private estate, but an unofficial arrangement has been in place for, to my knowledge, at least a century.

Stand-off: Trouble began after Lord Bath, 78, handed responsibility for the management of the estate to son Ceawlin Thynn, 36, last year

‘They are suggesting it is for security reasons but we are only local cyclists and walkers hoping to enjoy the scenery.

‘We don’t want to visit the attractions and we aren’t terrorists or thieves.

The protesters delivered a letter of protest to Lord Bath, with Mrs
Walker, from Frome, Somerset, adding: ‘We support their efforts to
modernise. We certainly don’t want the business to fail, that would be a
disaster, but it feels like corporate arrogance.

‘They are at risk of alienating the community after all this time, which would be a real shame.’

The controversy started after Lord Bath, 78, passed management of the stately home and grounds to his son.

Mr Thynn hired chief executive David Bradley and introduced a modernisation programme at the estate built in 1580.

All staff aged over 65 were made redundant in 2010 – just before it became illegal to force out older workers – leading to the loss of more than 50 jobs.

'Barriers': Walkers and cyclists say they do not feel welcome on Lord Bath's 100,000-acre grounds any more

‘Barriers’: Walkers and cyclists say they do not feel welcome on Lord Bath’s 100,000-acre grounds any more

The loyal employees criticised the estate for showing them a lack of loyalty after their years of service and said the 400-year-old house and gardens was turning into Disneyland.

Dogs were banned from the vicinity of the house and attractions last September over fears they might upset the safari park animals.

Locals say ticket prices – up to £27.50 for an all day pass to the house, gardens and safari – have soared too high for many visitors, and now walkers are being asked to show tickets.

Last Sunday a group of dog walkers led by Julia Francis, who claims she was ejected from the park by security, marched on the stately home.

The Longleat Estate yesterday claimed it had changed its security policy after ‘health and safety’ issues – including damage to the estate and a robbery.

It confirmed that access to the grand house, landscaped gardens, courtyards and safari park had been closed to everybody over the winter.

Bosses said that access to those areas for villagers, during tourist season, would now require a ticket.

But they stressed that the fringes of the estate, around 8,000 acres, still offered unlimited access for dog walkers and cyclists.

A spokesman said: ‘We sympathise fully with anyone who feels they have been adversely affected by this review.

‘However Longleat is and always has been a private estate and has always endeavoured to allow as much access to the public as is practical.

‘Nevertheless the general public needs to understand and respect that we are a major UK tourist attraction with over one million visitors a year during our open season.

‘We have an obligation to ensure both the enjoyment and safety of all our visitors who pay for the facilities we offer at Longleat.

‘This also includes the safety and welfare of our extensive world-leading animal collection.

‘Recent events at Longleat have necessitated that we review and tighten our access procedures.’

The estate yesterday said it was ‘looking into’ the allegations.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.

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Good – that’s at least one place that has had the good sense to ban dogs! Why do ‘dog walkers’ think they have the right to march on to someone else’s land to allow their animals to defecate, urinate, and trouble other animals?

– A. Wright-Burke, London Bridge, 04/2/2012 13:20

“… son Ceawlin Thynn…” Says it all, doesn’t it!

– Thomas Goodey, Comanesti, Romania, 04/2/2012 13:17

All these want something for nothing brigade would soon moan if someone come along and walked through their garden or cycled across their path.
I fully support the Longleat stance and would just set the dogs loose, it is his land and he can do as he wants.

– Bob , Weybridge, 04/2/2012 13:15

Would they like it if people started tramping around their back garden?? Get a life!! Plenty of places for walking other than someone elses private property. (always thought theses ramblers were a weird bunch anyway…)

– Me, Here, 04/2/2012 13:11

I hate the ramblers. They’re a bunch of militant nosey old fossils.

– Betrayed by our own government, London, 04/2/2012 13:10

The people who are complaning about lack of access to some one.s land are the same people who complain when a bunch of travelers turn up with in a mile of there.s

– green_hackle, LONDON/ENGLAND, 04/2/2012 12:39

Just ramble elsewhere!! It’s a large country. Some people are very small minded, especially those who resent the land owners (of which I’m not one). The whole ‘my rights’ thing is totally out of control in every way in this country. I would not like people rambling through my back garden!! :O

– Mark, UK, 04/2/2012 12:39

So a private landowner who charges visitors for access to the land is now applying this rule to everyone. What is it that I am meant to be outraged over? I have visited Longleat and was more than happy to pay the entry price that gave me a licence to access the park/house/grounds – I would not have visited otherwise. I was unable to access the estate without paying the entry price so all that has happened is that the owners have blocked the areas that people were using to trespass on their land.

– Lola, Chester, UK, 04/2/2012 12:29

There are historically many” rights of way” in the UK where footpaths cannot be closed off or restricted to the public as long as they only use the foot paths. The Courts need to sort this one out and it should only take 30 minutes.

– B J Deller, Malaga Spain, 04/2/2012 12:16

Is there any ‘Theme Park’ that allows people to just ‘walk in’ ? Yet the estate generously allows walkers (even with dogs) 8000 acres of access to walk over !
Certainly wouldn’t like anyone to use my back garden as a walk through (would you)?

– Bob, A Briton Deceived, 04/2/2012 12:15

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