Shugborough to receive £20m investment in National Trust takeover
More than £20 million will be invested into the Shugborough Estate and taken over by the National Trust, it has been revealed.
The Staffordshire landmark is set to be offloaded by Staffordshire County Council, with £20.5 million due to be injected into the site over the next three years.
The National Trust today announced an ambitious ten-year plan hoping to treble the attraction's visitor numbers and extend its opening season to 364 days a year, rather than the current season of March to the end of October.
The move, which will be finalised on October 31, has cast doubt over the future of dozens of staff and volunteers which work on the estate with the charity stating it operates a different model to the council.
A formal consultation with workers will start next month and continue until the summer.
The council, which has run the estate to the north of Cannock Chase since 1966 on behalf of the trust, stated 'the time was right' to relinquish its 99 year lease to focus its dwindling budgets on services for the most vulnerable residents of Staffordshire.
Staffordshire's economy, environment and transport chief Councillor Mark Winnington, said: "It has become increasingly difficult for the county council to invest in the visitor offer at Shugborough Estate. The majority of the budget has gone on maintenance and repairs.
"For every pound of taxpayers' money in Staffordshire we have got to look very carefully at where that money is spent.
"In terms of Shugborough Estate it is a nice thought, but quite honestly that money is better spent on the vulnerable people of Staffordshire."
