The Trust, the Landlord and the Collections
October 9, 2007 by fruitforum
Brogdale and the National Fruit Collections are ‘the subject of a bitter-tug-of-war between the the site owner, HillReed and the Brogdale Horticultural Trust’ claims Trevor Sturgess in the October issue of ‘Kent Business’, a supplement published not only in Faversham News but county wide in all the Kent Messenger Group newspapers - see ‘Split to the Core - the two sides in Brogdale dispute’ see here and see here.
‘Those who want to keep this resource in Faversham’ Sturgess writes, ‘fear it may be switched to East Malling, a move apparently backed by the Trust.’ This refers to the partnership, now an open secret, between the current managers of the Collections - the Trust and Imperial College at Wye - and East Malling Research who are bidding for the future Defra management contract and seeking to move the Collections to East Malling, near Maidstone, about 20 miles away. The reasons given elsewhere by the Trust for relocating the Collections are the difficulties of working with its landlord and the landlord’s longterm intentions.
Sturgess questioned Tony Hillier of Hillreed about his plans for the site. Hillier ‘insisted that he has the guaranteed future of the collections at Faversham as his top priority’ and pointed out that ‘a move would not only be bad for Brogdale, it would be disastrous for Kent and Swale.’ Hillier went on to say ‘we’re looking to grow the economy, to grow jobs and prospects for the area. For the Government to take this project out of Swale would be a real disappointment for the area.’
The dispute has involved the local Swale Borurgh Council and the Kent County Council (KCC). Swale has written to Defra saying there is an ‘overwhelming case’ for keeping the Collections at Brogdale. ‘In terms of the economy of this part of Swale, Brogdale is a vital ingredient with a brand name that is known worldwide and with prospects for considerable regeneration of the locality.’ But Kent County Council has taken the opposite view and backed the Trust and relocation. KCC have said in a letter to Defra that the Trust’s bid, ie removal to East Malling, provides ‘the most robust scientific future for the Collection.’
That the Collections have enjoyed 50 years of robust scientific activity at Brogdale has been ignored, it seems, by KCC, as also the 50 years of records and the fact that for 50 years East Malling have been coming to Brogdale to use the Collections. This is another spurious reason for relocation, along with leases coming to an end and the Trust’s difficulties over the Brogdale site.
The Collections have become the victim in a saga mired in politics and self interest. Of course, the landlord and Swale wish the Collections to remain at Brogdale. Why KCC should back their relocation is an open question, but it is not difficult to see that East Malling would welcome the prestige of hosting the National Fruit Collections. The Trust, set up to provide a permanent home for the Collections at Brogdale, wants to move them away, which is a rejection of its original objectives. But given that the Trust has moved out of Brogdale and set up its administrative offices down the road in Abbey School, it is clearly in the Trust’s interest to move the Collections. The Trust appears to have ‘burnt its boats’ at Brogdale and if it does not win the bid to manage the Collections has no reason to exist. Failure to win the contract to be part of the management of the Collections from 2008 would spell the end of the Trust and the jobs of those who it employs. In a piece in Faversham News of 4 October, by Liza Murley, we learn of further difficulties for the Trust. The Trust’s Plant Centre relocated to a Garden Centre in Faversham will be on the move again following the Centre’s closure on 30 September.
‘Kent Business’s article is largely an interview with Tony Hillier. The Trust’s Chief Executive declined to put ’its side of the story’ or ‘speak about the situation until Defra announced the winning bid’, expected later in the year. All the Trust would say was that ‘the bid had gone in.’ A ‘source close to the Trust’, however, was less reticent stating that Hillier ‘had kicked the Trust off the site’ and ‘proved impossible to deal with.’ The source added ’It’s Hillier’s land and there is a big question as to whether or not the National Fruit Collections ought to fall into the hands of a private developer.’ However, any ‘source close to the Trust’ should have known that this was impossible - the Collections belong to Defra wherever they are located.
It has to be said in Hillier’s defence that so far he does not appear to have acted like the villain. His purchase of the site in 2000 bailed the Trust out of a deep hole and saved it from bankruptcy. During the past seven years he has stuck with the project and is now investing £1million in refurbishment that has already made Brogdale a much more welcoming place. As the Trust’s source says ‘It’s a terrible shame that the two sides haven’t got together and sorted this out.’
But what is much more tragic is that the future of the Collections has become bound up in such a family squabble. The Collections are fine and secure where they are, in a site that is perfect for growing a wide range of fruits. Why move them and subject them to this lottery? The Collections are part of our own and the world’s cultural heritage as well as a valuable genetic resource; they need to be celebrated not threatened!
Joan Morgan
Having read of the threat to the National Fruit Collections, I fail to understand why it could possibly be considered practical or reasonable to relocate the Collections when they already have an excellent site and are well established there.
The prospect of moving the Collections is not only ridiculously uneconomic and impractical, it would surely jeopardise much of the stock held and the integrity of such long term records uneccessarily.
It is very disappointing to hear that the Trust set up to preserve the National Collections seems intent on its relocation which could well cause irrepairable damage . Surely it is imperative for all involved to consider what is best for the continued existence of such an invaluable and irreplaceable resource ? There is no place for politics or self interest to direct a decision , they should be set aside in favour of an informed practical solution which secures the long term future of the Collections.