Chesterfield and District Civic Society have responded to a letter published in the Derbyshire Times edition of 22 September 2022. Our response refutes statements made in the letter by a representative from the so-called ‘Have Your Say Residents Group Chesterfield’.
Letter to the Editor, the Derbyshire Times
Steve Jones and his residents’ group have no grounds whatever to criticise the Chesterfield and District Civic Society concerning Tapton House. The decision to open a particular property under the Heritage Open Days scheme rests entirely with its owner. The Civic Society merely acts as a coordinating body and, with the support of the Derbyshire Times, has sought to publicise the buildings that have recently been open.
Contrary to Mr Jones’s wholly incorrect assertion, the society is very concerned about Tapton House. That is why we support the Borough Council’s decision to offer the mansion and gardens either to let or for sale on a 999-year lease, which we consider offers the best chance to secure the future of the property, at no cost to public funds. It would be appreciated if Mr Jones and others who have made ill-informed criticisms of the society’s policy would take the trouble to read the detailed memorandum setting out our policy towards Tapton House, which has been available on our website for the last twelve months. The statement also provides an accurate outline of the history of the estate, including the terms on which it was conveyed to the former Chesterfield Corporation in 1925.
PHILIP RIDEN
Chairman
Chesterfield and District Civic Society
ENDS
To read our statement on Tapton House, originally published in September 2021, which includes a short authoritative history on the property, click the link here.