Date: 21 May 2009 BROCKLEBANK EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT THAT BOTH NORTH EAST FIFE NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTIES COULD NOT BE SAVED The National Trust for Scotland has announced that of the two properties in North East Fife that it planned to close, Kellie Castle is to remain open for the ‘foreseeable future’ but Hill of Tarvit Mansion House is still set to close. Commenting, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Ted Brocklebank, said;
“I have been campaigning for both Kellie Castle and Hill of Tarvit Mansion House to remain open to the public and I am particularly pleased that strong public support has helped keep Kellie Castle open for the foreseeable future. It is a magnificent property of real architectural importance and it would have been a great loss to the Kingdom if it had been forced to close to the public.
“However, I am disappointed that the National Trust for Scotland could not reach the same outcome for Hill of Tarvit. I will be speaking to Kate Mavor, Chief Executive of the National Trust, to discuss the future plans for this magnificent Edwardian mansion. It is all the more frustrating given the connections Kellie Castle and Hill of Tarvit have with the Lorimer family that one of these two unique properties is set to close.
“It is now important that, if the required funding becomes available, the re-opening of the property is a real option which the National Trust will consider in the future. It should be the urgent aim of the National Trust to make the property available to the people of North East Fife once again.”
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