I was interested to see that Cllr Steve Hogben set something of a controversial hare running when he asked what I consider to be a fairly reasonable question about whether or not Cheshire East Council should subsidise the running of Tatton Park on its own.

According to the Guardian, he has since told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he believes neighbouring councils, such as Warrington Borough Council and Cheshire West and Chester, should also be asked to contribute to the costs.

(Good luck with that suggestion, Cllr Hogben).

Now I have no idea about the financial viability of Tatton Park but I am happy to concede it is a significant asset for the area. In the past, it has been a go-to place to visit if we had visitors staying with us.

But it has to be said I also have some significantly unpleasant memories of the place when the company I was working for at the time held a number of training ‘away days’ in the park’s mansion.

Some of our training days were good, some less good and I have a vivid memory of a paticularly terrible one at Tatton.

(For the record, the problem had nothing to do with the venue or Tatton’s staff and everything to do with the training we were asked to undertake).

Having said all that, it is a long time since I’ve been to Tatton. And the reason is quite simple – the cost.

Yes, I know everything is expensive these days and maintaining an estate the size of Tatton must be hugely costly but to be honest if I’m contemplating a day out, it just doesn’t figure on my radar any more.

In the midst of a cost of living crisis, the cost of admission is prohibitive for me, and I suspect for many other people. 

And it would appear I’m not alone, as evidenced by Cllr Nick Mannion, who is a member of the Tatton Park Board.

He said the up until the outbreak of the pandemic it [Tatton Park] was rapidly approaching ‘balance for income’, but the pandemic significantly reduced the income stream.

But maybe there is some light at the end of a costly tunnel when he added there is an increasing number of events in the pipeline [that would boost income]. Let’s hope he’s right.

For what it’s worth, I suspect Cllr Hogben was being something of a deliberate contrarian, intent on sparking a debate about council spending and I fully take his point that his voters in Crewe were unlikely to benefit from Tatton (although they could if they wanted to).

And let’s face it, while there is a cost to Tatton, Crewe has also had plenty of attention over recent years, hasn’t it?

Anyway, I have a confession to make. I am a member of the National Trust and yet if I were to go Tatton Park, I would still have to pay (National Trust membership gives free admission and free parking at most of its properties).

So why do I have to pay parkland entry at Tatton as a National Trust member?

This is what the Cheshire East Council has to say to me and all the other NT members via Tatton’s website: “You’re helping us to look after this special place. Every time you pay parkland entry, you are helping to make sure this unique place remains open for future generations to enjoy.”

And here is the key bit: “Everything you see and experience at Tatton Park is financed and managed by Cheshire East Council, via a lease on behalf of the National Trust.”

The effect of this is that the terms of the lease mean that Tatton Park does not financially benefit from NT memberships as other National Trust properties do.

It goes on to say: “Every penny spent stays here and helps support the vital work that Tatton Park and Cheshire East Council do to ensure it is here for future generations to enjoy, from caring for our rare breed animals to conserving our mansion treasures and maintaining 50 acres of historic gardens.”

It’s still a bit galling though, and one of the reasons Tatton Park won’t be seeing me any time soon.