To: Anthony Downs, Estate Director

Give residents fair access to Hatfield Park

Please revise the proposed Friends of Hatfield Park scheme so it’s fair for everyone, and no-one is excluded because of cost.

Why is this important?

Access to Hatfield Park is a privilege that’s been granted to local residents for more than 400 years. The new 'Friends' scheme is the first time in history the Gascoyne-Cecil estate will charge local residents for access*.

At £50 per person (or £75 for two) payable upfront, by every over-16, with no concessions, the charges will be out of reach to many in our community. It means Hatfield Park will effectively be out of bounds to everyone except the wealthy. That's not fair. We all know how important access to greenspace is for our health and wellbeing. The beautiful grounds of Hatfield Park are an asset the whole community treasures. They must continue to be an asset the whole community can use.

We would like the Estate Director, Anthony Downs, and Lord Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the Marquess of Salisbury, to
- postpone the launch of the scheme until we can agree on something that's fair
- revise the price structure so no-one in Hatfield will be excluded because of cost
- guarantee that the fees will not rise year on year

*Up until now, residents have had to pay a small admin charge, which was to cover the costs of the ID cards and key fobs. Recently, that charge was £15 for a 2-year pass. As it says on the passes themselves, ‘this pass must be produced on request to ensure that free access to the park is reserved for the people of the Parish of Bishop’s Hatfield’. Free. Access. It says it right there!

How it will be delivered

in person

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Links

Campaign Website

Updates

2021-08-07 18:16:46 +0100

Hi Everyone!
We have some progress to celebrate! Hatfield House have confirmed they're willing to issue free passes to people who can't afford the residents' access scheme to walk in Hatfield Park. If you’re unable to afford a pass because of personal circumstances, you can contact the Estate and ask to be considered for a free pass. Call 01707 287000 or email [email protected]

We don't know what kind of personal details they want, but the Estate say they’ll treat any information confidentially. So please don't hesitate to contact them. We’ve made a help sheet that might make it easier. Download it here: https://therealfriendsofhatfieldpark.org/request-a-free-pass/

Share this info with anyone you know who might benefit - the Estate haven’t put this info on their website so it's hard for people to know it's available.

Mary-Ann

2020-12-13 22:43:41 +0000

Our campaign has been in the national papers! Yesterday The Sun, today the Sunday Times & Mail Online, and featured on BBC Radio 4. Hopefully that'll make Anthony Downs the Estate Director and Lord Salisbury take notice...please keep sharing the petition. More info as we get it....

The Mail: https://mol.im/a/9048143

The Sun: https://twitter.com/MaryAnnOchota/status/1337717715759411201?s=20

The Sunday Times: https://twitter.com/MaryAnnOchota/status/1338145622801657856?s=20

Radio 4: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIv7RBEj8cI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

2020-12-04 12:39:14 +0000

Hi Everyone! Yesterday I got an email from Lord Salisbury himself!
It says:
"we have been pleased by the degree of support we have so far received, although there is clearly a good deal of anxiety from you and others who have signed the petition. I suspect from what you say that you and others are not aware of the arrangements we have had in place for some time for cases of particular hardship."

Not sure how he can be pleased by the 'degree of support' given that the Old Hatfield Residents Association, local Councillors and all of us have made it very clear that we hate their plans. Perhaps he's been talking to the mirror again...

Anyway - he says there's provision for people who can't afford £50 for access to Hatfield Park. I'm just trying to find out what that is (assuming it's not just 'we gave some passes to the foodbank to distribute'). Then we can start getting in touch with them!

Lastly - please do share this petition with friends and family

2020-11-29 14:24:51 +0000

1,000 signatures reached

2020-11-27 19:54:25 +0000

Thanks everyone for the fantastic support - this really does show the estate just how much we care about Hatfield Park & our community. If anyone wants to print out a poster to display in a local shop, school, noticeboard, lamppost, whereever, you can download an A4 page here: https://therealfriendsofhatfieldpark.org/download-the-poster/
Let's spread the word!

2020-11-27 09:54:58 +0000

500 signatures reached

2020-11-26 18:32:32 +0000

100 signatures reached

2020-11-26 18:03:17 +0000

50 signatures reached

2020-11-26 17:47:40 +0000

25 signatures reached

2020-11-26 17:39:21 +0000

10 signatures reached