7 July 2010

Commercial Director appointed to lead Lowther Castle and Gardens redevelopment

The Lowther Castle & Gardens Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Mercer as Commercial Director for the ambitious project to open the ruin of Lowther Castle and its abandoned hidden gardens near Penrith in the Lake District National Park.

Andrew has a wealth of experience of developing businesses and events in the countryside. He joined the East of England Agricultural Society as Chief Executive in 2001, re-invigorated the Charity with a portfolio of successful events, and established an innovative catering business sourcing food from local farmers. Mastermind of a £9.5 million exhibition centre, he established the East of England Showground as a major event centre attracting 800,000 visitors annually.

Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Lowther Castle & Gardens Trust, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Andrew to head the Lowther team. His business experience and knowledge of developing major tourist assets in the countryside will be invaluable in helping the Trust achieve its vision. Our project will create a unique destination of exceptional quality, which celebrates the historical and cultural significance of Lowther and secures its place in Cumbria’s future.”

Nick Brooks-Sykes, Director of Tourism at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), added: “The restoration of Lowther Castle and Gardens is a hugely ambitious project which has the potential to deliver transformational change for Cumbria’s visitor economy. I am delighted to welcome Andrew on board; this is a crucial appointment and a vital step in ensuring that the project delivers the high-impact visitor attraction outlined in the vision. I look forward to working with Andrew over the coming months to realise this ambition.” 

As Chief Executive, Andrew will take the development of the Lowther Castle & Gardens project to practical completion. Visitors will be able to see the first restoration work in action from 2011.

Commenting on his new appointment, Andrew Mercer said: “Lowther Castle and Gardens will become a wonderful attraction for tens of thousands of visitors to the Lake District. The challenge of recovering, restoring and developing the gardens and castle presents a wonderful opportunity for me, and I am excited to be joining the enthusiastic team of supporters and professionals committed to the Lowther project.”

Andrew will take up his appointment on 27 August 2010.

Notes for Editors:

Lowther Castle and Gardens are near Penrith, Cumbria, in the Lake District National Park. The 130 acre, Grade II* listed site contains the remnants of at least three significant buildings, and of gardens that represent 400 years of garden history including one of England’s greatest 17th century gardens. The Castle and Gardens are at the centre of the 3,500 acre Lowther Park, the seat of the Lowther family, the Earls of Lonsdale, for 800 years. The castle was last inhabited in 1936 by the 5th Earl who died in 1944 without a direct heir. Its contents were sold, and, when no further use could be found for it, it was partly demolished in 1957. It has never been open to the public. The gardens were open for one season in 1936 but then overplanted with timber and left largely undisturbed.

After 20 years of efforts to find a future for the Castle, in 2009, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) approved plans for a £9 million project at Lowther to create a major new visitor attraction in the Lake District.  The NWDA will invest £7 million and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) £1.9 million, with additional funding from the Lowther Estate Trust, which has leased Lowther Castle and Gardens for a peppercorn rent to a new independent charity, the Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust (LC&GT). The charity will operate Lowther Castle and Gardens for the advancement of education, culture, arts and heritage and to promote local involvement, public access and community benefit.

The Trustees of the Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust (Registered charity No.1125075) are Bryan Gray (Chair), Sir Neil Cossons, Charles Woodhouse, Jim Lowther, David Taylor and David Horton-Fawkes.

The Project’s Patron is Lord Melvyn Bragg.

The Design Team includes architects Geoff Rich and Miriam Kelly, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, garden and landscape architect Dominic Cole, Land Use Consultants, structural engineers Gifford, M&E consultants Ove Arup and Quantity surveyor Turner & Townsend. 

More information about the project, including an Overview, is at www.transforminglowther.co.uk.
Available for comment are:

1. Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Lowther Castle and Gardens Trust, T: 0161 660 3714, bryan.gray@mediacityuk.co.uk
2. Jim Lowther, T: 01931 712577, jim.lowther@lowther.co.uk

For further information or for out of hours enquiries please contact Susan Jones, T: 077989770123, susanjones@speechmaking.org

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the competitiveness of its businesses, people and places. The Agency is the strategic lead for tourism in the Northwest and works with the region’s five tourist boards to support and grow our £14 billion visitor economy.
For more information visit www.nwda.co.uk

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the Northwest. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment.

ERDF in the Northwest is managed by the NWDA.

For more information please visit www.erdfnw.co.uk