Answers wanted on future of stress-free estate

I’M sure that over the last year many people, like myself, will have visited, or are regular visitors to, Lotherton Hall near Leeds and enjoyed a generally unflustered low stress experience.

I believe most are aware of this marvellous gift from the Gascoigne family to the people of the area, but are we to believe Leeds City Council still abide by the wishes of the late owners? And am I the only person who is now noting what appears to be ever increasing private input 
and what seems to be the unnecessary commercialisation of the estate?

Lovely tracks are now tarmac, expensive feudal iron railings appearing on entrance, much higher admission charges checked at the Doctor Who wooden Tardis shed by, we presume, an attendant. We witness the head of tourism, who lives on one of the larger estate properties, tending to an ever increasing amount of besuited visitors, often arriving in vehicles equivalent to a good year’s salary. These visitors do not appear to be middle-ranking council employees.

I would say one of the greatest strengths of the Lotherton experience is its sense of freedom, its naturalistic feel, a sense that ordinary families and those with children who have a disability, like my own son, can gain unstressed respite with space aplenty.

I do hope we are not witnessing the birth of the well-to-do input. Maybe the Friends of Lotherton could make plain in this newspaper what indeed is the future agenda of those with plans for Lotherton and are we by political default going to gradually see a private owner at the lively Lotherton Hall? Answers please.