DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH MODERN STYLE? (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH MODERN STYLE?

7:33pm Thursday 4th November 2010

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I was appalled to read in this month’s Gardening Which? that the car parking problem for the Rose Gardens at Chiswell Green has still not been resolved. It seems that the future of these beautiful gardens is really uncertain as planning permission for a new visitor car park has been rejected.

I know that it is common local knowledge that a few years ago the Royal National Rose Society had to sell off quite a lot of land and at that time the RNRS took the opportunity to completely redesign and replant the smaller gardens. Unfortunately the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that was entered into with the new Butterfly World to allow visitors to the rose gardens to use their car park doesn’t seem to have held up. According to Butterfly World visitors to the Rose Gardens are not legally allowed to use their car park because the RNRS has not signed a road easement to allow their visitors safe passage along a new road. However, Roz Hamilton, chief executive of the RNRS, says that this hasn’t been done because it would mean agreeing to a trading restriction which would effectively ban any commercial activities at the rose gardens. She is quoted as saying ‘We wouldn’t be able to survive if we couldn’t sell roses or run a tea room’. Evidently this restriction would also cover the rose gardens rights to a wedding licence.

This all seems particularly petty, Butterfly World has the potential to be a huge money spinner and the small number of roses sold by the RNRS couldn’t possibly make any difference to their turnover. The two refreshment outlets cater for a completely different clientele. Families groups with young children are not going to seek out the rose gardens, where it is possible to enjoy a quiet cuppa after enjoying an hour or two of peace and tranquility wandering round the rose gardens.

I spent a blissful afternoon in the summer at the rose gardens, a place to relax and enjoy the calm generated by the beautiful gardens. I have also visited Butterfly World, and found it very lively and interesting, certainly a place to revisit. With their enormous potential its seems incredible that they can’t ‘live and let live’. The loss of the rose gardens to this area doesn’t bear thinking about. I understand that they will be open next year from 11th June to 31st July with temporary car parking in place.

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