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| Stone Formation Archive 1989 |
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 Stone Formations news, views, gallery and archive brought to you by Weird Wiltshire Introduction Latest News News Archive Stonehenge Stonehenge Project Stonehenge 360 Avebury Saviours Stones Village Solstice Wayland Smithy Long Barrow Woodhenge Gallery Summer Solstice Gallery 2002 Summer Solstice Gallery 2004 Postcards Wallpaper Links  |
First published on October 26, 1989 WILTSHIRE people are breathing a sigh of relief this week following news that the National Trust is set to buy the Ridgeway Cafe at Avebury ending any possibility of future development on the site. The sale, which will cost the Trust about £750,000 should be completed by Christmas. Talks between the Trust's Wessex land agent Ian Robertson and cafe owner Brian Ashley took place last week. Mr Robertson says the National Trust will buy the site subject to the approval of two committees, one sitting tomorrow and the second in November. The move follows discussions that have lasted a year. The truckers cafe, on the A4 at Overton Hill, has been on the market since April. Mr Ashley and his wife Kathy decided to sell when their controversial plans to build a three-coned hotel on the site where rejected by the then Environment Secretary Nicholas Ridley. Their futuristic scheme, which outraged many local residents, was thrown out because it was said the hotel would look out of place in a World Heritage area and access would be dangerous. The National Trust plans to return the land to grass, demolishing the cafe, three-bedroom bungalow and several portable buildings which occupy the three-quarter of an acre site. It is likely the Trust will extend its £250,000 fund-raising campaign, launched to complete its purchase of the 478 acre West Kennett Farm, to help pay for the Ridgeway Cafe site, with additional money coming from a bequest. Mr Robertson says he is delighted. "This piece of land is part of a World Heritage area and is second in importance only to Avebury. The transport cafe affected the setting." He said there are no plans to carry out any archaeological excavation on the site. "The Trust has a general policy of not allowing digs unless there is a very good reason for doing so. It is a very destructive science," he said. The Trust also hopes to move the car park from its present location, said Mr Robertson. "In our view the car park is very dangerous where it is because of the access. But we do have ideas for one in another area." Cafe owner Brian Ashley is also pleased about the decision but added: "I still think our original plan, which nearly got through, would have been better. It is such a fantastic site and we bought it because we wanted to do something better to it. But that's the way it goes. Don Brothwell, a member of the Avebury Save Our Skyline Committee, which was formed in a bid to prevent further development at the Ridgeway Cafe said: "This is just what we have been hoping for, and we will be keeping our fingers crossed." He added that SOS has about £4,500 which will be donated to the Trust if the sale goes ahead. Back to 1989 index |
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