Park access Hundreds join demo against introduction of entry fee
THE controversial introduction of charges and electric gates for visitors at Cirencester Park has been delayed. The new electric pedestrian gates on four main routes into Cirencester Park were due be activated last Friday, March 15, which would have meant every visitor needed a pass to access the grounds.
These new automated pedestrian gates have been installed at Cecily Hill, Windsor Walk, Barton Lane and Cirencester Park Caravan & Motorhome Club. Owned and managed by the Bathurst Estate, its team said the new charges would “support conservation work” while Lord Bathurst remarked that the pass system would fund maintenance at the park.
The Bathurst Estate confirmed the new entry system had been held up due to “delays in the delivery service” and people not receiving their passes in time.
A message on the Bathurst Estate’s website last week stated: “We are aware of a delay in the delivery service and that you may not receive your pass ahead of Friday, March 15. We apologise for this delay. Please be assured we are rectifying the issue and your pass will arrive shortly. While you wait, please continue to visit the Park in the usual way. We will not activate the automated gates until the delay is resolved.”
The delay to the activation of the entry gates came just before residents and Right to Roam campaigners gathered on Sunday for a ‘trespass’ to protest at the new charges. The gathering “celebrated hundreds of years of community heritage” and heard speeches from residents, historians and Right to Roam campaigners highlighting the complications of introducing charges and the site’s links to the slave trade.
Before news of the delay, Liberal Democrat councillor Joe Harris shared online last Thursday: “Enjoying a stroll on our last day of FREEDOM. While I understand the rationale the Bathurst Estate have given for charging for access to Cirencester Park I don’t think the reasons carry enough weight.
“The idea of it being ‘free’ for locals but you still have to pay a tenner is just bizarre!”
The controversial plans have been long discussed by The Bathurst Estate, which led to dozens of complaints from Cirencester residents and regular visitors.
The Bathurst Estate explained the automation of the existing pedestrian gates would remove the need for staff to physically unlock and lock the gates each day. A spokesman added this would allow them to focus on the upkeep of the park and preventing damage and littering.
Local residents within Gloucestershire postcodes of GL7 0, GL7 1, GL7 2, GL7 5, GL7 6 and GL7 7 and the villages of Edgworth, Frampton Mansell, Ashton Keynes and Latton can claim a Cirencester Park Community Pass. This will require a one-off deposit of £10 (per pass) and can be applied for as a household or an individual.
An individual Cirencester Park Annual Pass will cost £30 and an annual household pass, which can be used by up to six people in one household, will cost £50. Visitors can also purchase a Cirencester Park Day Pass via The Bathurst Estate website or at the ticket office at Cecily Hill Gates and on Windsor Walk, reached from The Old Kennels.
A Day Pass, which costs £4 for adults and £2 for children, will allow the visitor to enter Cirencester Park from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. Students enrolled at Cirencester Deer Park School, Cirencester College and the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) can apply for a discounted Student Pass for £10.