Archive - Friday, 19 July 2002


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Hotel plans unveiled for home of gardening guru

BARNSLEY HOUSE, the famous home of garden designer Rosemary Verey, could be turned into a hotel.

The grade 11 listed house and renowned garden has been bought by Tim Haigh and Rupert Pendered, owners of the award winning Village Pub in Barnsley.

They plan to turn it into a country house hotel and restaurant.

The 17th century property was put on the market by Knight Frank in April for around £2.25-million.

The garden, which was laid out by the late Mrs Verey from the 1960s onwards, has attracted some 20,000 visitors each year from across the globe.

Mrs Verey died last summer and her funeral at Barnsley Church was attended by Prince Charles.

When the house was put up for sale Mrs Verey's son Charles and his wife Denzil, who had moved into the main house, said it was time to move on.

The new owners of Barnsley House have lodged a planning application with Cotswold District Council under the Cotswold Pub Company, for listed building consent and to turn the house into a hotel, make alterations inside the building and build a new back courtyard extension to provide kitchens.

The hotel would include nine bedroom suites.

The garden, which features a Gothick summerhouse (CORR), a potager garden and a laburnum walk planted in celebration of 25 years of marriage, will not remain open to the public throughout the year under the new plans.

Instead the owners plan to continue holding open days and charity events. Mr Haigh and Mr Pendered organised a public meeting which was held in Barnsley last night (Wednesday) to discuss the plans.

Mr Haigh told the Standard: "We wanted to let local people know about our plans and to give their views. "We have had a great welcome since we moved to Barnsley four years ago and are keen that villagers are told what is happening. "We intend to preserve the character of the house and gardens and keep them as an essential but discreet part of the village."

Last year the Village Pub in Barnsley was awarded the prestigious title of Gastropub of the Year by The Guardian newspaper.