Ruining the castle

I’m sorry but I just can’t stand the idea of what is being done to Hylton Castle.

The idea of a glorified cafe, come exhibition and education space seems just ridiculous to me when there is an empty college building a little way along the North Hylton Road, which they could use. As for putting a lift into it. When I moved up to here over 50 years ago I just loved the building, and often went there with our children for picnics in the lovely grounds.

Now the place looks like a bomb site with scaffolding all round and the grounds covered with cars and piles of building bricks.

I’ve noticed already that a few of the people living just over the road to the castle gates have moved after living there for years, so they can’t have been very happy about it.

I think that the Cauld Lad of Hylton will be shocked and disgusted, and I can’t understand why it was decided to do this as I think it will cause more damage to the building in the long run. Name withheld