Castle’s art should be free for all to see

MAY I suggest, should the Castle eventually reopen, or even whilst now closed, that the council might consider restructuring how and where it exhibits the art and historic artefacts that have been donated in the past and present for the benefit of Nottingham citizens.

These may now be better placed permanently and free to visit, at the Nottingham Contemporary gallery and as public, cultural assets, no charge should be made to see them.

“Contemporary” art is after all what is displayed contemporaneously and the gallery could well do with a lift in its footfall.

As for charging citizens and visitors, by all means have an entrance fee for visiting exhibitions but not for gifts of art to citizens.

Our near and not too far away city neighbours, for example in Leicester, Derby and Sheffield, have free access to their artistic cultural items. I do not know how they are managed but, in my experience, they seem very well-visited.

In addition, I would like to see a much-reduced entrance fee to the city centre “park” facility of the castle grounds for obvious reasons, the main one being that there is no free city centre park amenity.

This lack of a central, green open space has been reinforced by the past redesign of Old Market Square to a blankly-paved, open area with very few shading trees, particularly on the South Parade side.

J W Maslen, by email