Memories shared as top attraction in Bodelwyddan left with no other choice but to close

There was sadness on Saturday as Bodelwyddan Castle, which has been valued at £1million, closed its castle and parklands.

It also hosted its last-ever 5k parkrun.

In February, loyal trust members and volunteers vowed to keep the the property open to the public as long as possible after deciding to sell the 99-year lease.

Since then, although the mansion itself and art gallery have been closed the gardens and parkland have remained open. With very limited income, the closure was inevitable.

Dr Kevin Mason, trust secretary and a former director of the castle, told the Journal: "I think everyone concerned with the trust is very sad at having to close the doors to the public.

"The Trust has been very much a family-friendly organisation and our main wish through the years of operation has been to ensure a quality service to all sections of the visiting public. Unfortunately, due to potential cash flow issues, trustees have had to take the decision to close to try to reduce expenditure as they are bound by their legal duty to act in the best interests of the charity."

The last parkrun at the grounds was held on Saturday. Picture: Phil Micheu

The decision to sell the remaining 99 years of the lease to the highest bidder and close followed the withdrawal of a £144,000 support grant from Denbighshire County Council.

The funding cut, which was applied from April 2018, resulted in the loss of seven of the trust's 13 staff and the ending of a long loan of 130 paintings from the National Portrait Gallery (NPG).

"I certainly believe that the situation should never have arisen," Mr Mason added, who was first appointed director of the trust in May 1998.

"The trust operated successfully for many years on a reducing council grant, building up other sources of income so that the subsidy represented less than 30 per cent of turnover but the sudden loss of that 30 per cent of income was always going to be a major problem for the trust, as it would be for any business.

Sitting on the grounds at the site after the park run event.

"I sympathise with Denbighshire councillors and their need to make difficult decisions in this age of austerity but the contribution of the Trust to local education and to the tourism income for the county seems to have been overlooked.

"Despite this, the trustees have accepted the council’s decision in this matter and are trying to act responsibly in dealing with an increasingly complex aftermath, in accordance with their obligations as charity trustees and through the professional advice received."

Although Mr Mason is not directly involved in the sale, he understands there has been considerable interest.

He said: " If the lease is sold then the trust will have to remove all charitable assets including the art collections from the castle and it remains to be decided whether there will be the option of transferring these to a new location to continue the work of the trust elsewhere."

Speaking about different highlights over the years, Mr Mason - who was made redundant from his post as director as a result of the cuts in May 2017 - said: "I have fond memories of many successes at the castle although to start with there were significant financial difficulties that had to be dealt with resulting from the council’s change from direct running to arms-length operation. At that time the council worked with the Trust to overcome those difficulties including the granting by the council of a short-term loan to cover cash flow problems, though this was repaid within 12 months. Trustees then, as always, took a very pragmatic and financially prudent approach to the operation and were able to reorganise the business so that it was soon creating a surplus to support capital developments and thus grow the business.

The site has been a favourite with families. Picture: Geoff Abbott

"A principal aim of the Trust has always been to try to reduce the call on the council for subsidy and this it was able to achieve over many years.

"A personal highlight was the refurbishment of the first floor of the castle in 2003 to provide disabled access and new permanent and temporary exhibitions; this project cost £500,000 but we were able to win around £470,000 of that cost through grants.

"I am reminded of the many nationally-important exhibitions that we were able to host with the help of the National Portrait Gallery and Amgueddfa Cymru. I am also proud of the various family-friendly events that we were able to organise including several ‘Knights and Princesses Days’ which were a particular favourite amongst our younger visitors.

"More recently, the creation of a reproduction set of First World War trenches, used to interpret the existing historic trenches on the site, was an achievement that had been in the pipeline for about 15 years until we were able to secure 100 per cent funding from the Ministry of Defence for the project."

Earlier this year, signs went up. Picture: Geoff Abbott

Lorraine Lister, who previously worked as marketing officer and WW1 trench experience co-ordinator for Bodelwyddan Castle Trust, said: "The ‘Trench Experience’ at Bodelwyddan Castle and Park along with our “From Civilian to Combatant” exhibition has been an outstanding educational resource for young and old alike, and I am extremely proud to have been involved.

"There are many highlights, but mine would be hosting an event for Blind Veterans UK last year, attended by Chelsea Pensioners and ex-members of the military. To receive three cheers and a round of applause from them was truly humbling.

"We have brought the past to life for many school pupils and kept alive the memory of the men and women of all nations who passed through Kinmel Park Camp in the Great War and it’s immediate aftermath."

"We have ran a variety of educational workshops, including Victorian life, classrooms, Castles and outdoor activities. These were always popular and the feedback from educators and pupils was outstanding."

Talking about the closure, Helen Papworth, chair of the trust, said: "We have looked at other ways we might become self-sufficient but just could not carry on."

She added: "I was involved as a trustee for 2016. Prior to that I used to visit with my family."

Eva Brewer, organiser of the Bodelwyddan parkrun, said: "The last parkrun at Bodelwyddan Castle was amazing. We had 348 people attending which smashed our previous record turnout by over 100.

"It was lovely to be appreciated by so many parkrunners from the local community and many visitors to the area.

"We have been supported by a lot of great people including from running clubs in Prestatyn, Denbigh and Abergele. We have also been supported by local GP practices and Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. It was a great atmosphere on Saturday and we ran out of cake!"