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Jan 2023

Last Updated: 10/01/2023

Community

Harewood House to close bird garden in face of '£4m bill'

by Vicky Carr

| 10 Jan, 2023

A popular tourist attraction on the edge of the Harrogate district is set to close one of its main features.

Harewood House has announced its bird garden will close this year, in the face of growing costs and a £4 million refurbishment bill.

The Harewood House Trust said it could not justify spending the money in order to bring the 50-year-old site up to scratch.

Trust chairman Emily Shard said:

"It is with huge sadness that the trustees have reached the conclusion that the bird garden must close.

"Harewood and the Lascelles family have long been committed to the care and conservation of wildlife and nature, but the wellbeing of the birds is paramount. The investment needed to create a modern zoo and maintain this each year is too much for the trust to afford.

"We therefore realise that we must make this change and focus on the long-term ambition of this wonderful place, and on the opportunities that Harewood has to support our environment, represent the people and the communities that live in this area today, and to continue to develop Harewood, to serve its best purpose into the future."

The trust said its latest zoo inspection had found the birds were well cared for, but that their environments were not up to modern standards.

Its birds will be rehomed over the next six months to more suitable environments and the final closure date of the bird garden will be confirmed later in the year.

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Harewood plans to retain its farm experience and said it will look at ways to improve the area around its courtyard for visitors, opening up new views of the estate. The bird garden will be replaced with a new woodland garden encouraging native wildlife, including red kites, otters and water birds.

A spokesperson added:

"We realise that many of Harewood’s visitors love the bird garden and have children who love it too.

"It has been an incredibly difficult conclusion to reach but it is the most responsible and ethical decision to make, to ensure the health and care of these beautiful creatures, but also to ensure Harewood can stand the test of time and be here for as long as it has stood already."

Harewood is reliant on income from grants, including from organisations like Arts Council England, as well as membership and visitor entry money, to continue operating.

The estate is owned by the Lascelles family and is run by a charitable trust.

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Harewood House to close bird garden in face of '£4m bill'

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