Lambton Park delays plans to reopen to public next week due to Covid crisis
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The Lambton Estate had been closed to the public for decades since the safari park in the grounds shut its doors in 1980.
But the estate opened almost 10 miles of new pathways as part of a major redevelopment in July 2020.
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Hide AdFour new walks were created, accessible from a public car park off the A183 at Bournmoor.
The new pathways were initially only open to the public each Sunday and proved massively popular, with a visitors’ car park regularly overflowing and cars having to be redirected into the parking spaces usually reserved for offices on the estate.
On the last day of opening for the season in the autumn, dozens of cars were turned away due to demand.
Estate bosses were delighted with the reaction from the community with Calum Gillhespy, from managing agents GSC Grays, saying at the time: “One of the encouraging things appears to have been the respect that people have shown to the park."
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Hide AdSeptember 27, 2020 was the last Sunday of the first season and the walkways have been closed since.
The park was supposed to be open daily from Monday, February 1, but will now remain closed until further notice.
A statement on the Lambton Park Facebook page said: "Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, the condition of the permissive access routes due to the wet autumn and winter and having notified Durham County Council, we are unable to open the permissive access routes from the 1st February as planned.”
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Hide AdParking charges will be in place but the aim is simply to cover the cost of building and maintaining the car park.
The post added: "Covid permitting, once the car park is built and the condition of the paths improve, further details on the timing for the opening of both the car park and permissive access routes will be announced.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding, we look forward to welcoming you to Lambton Park later this year.”