Topic: Sissinghurst?

[katynewbie]

Anyone see this? Sarah Raven and her family on changing things at a National Trust property.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hvvg9/Sissinghurst_Episode_1/

Comments?!

[saddad]

I've been twice in the last 5 years, didn't know it needed/had been changed?
 :-\

[thifasmom]

i'm just watching it, will get back to yah.

i've been there a few times in the past five yrs i like the place. anyway back to watching the show......

[Deb P]

I taped it last night and watched it this morning. I didn't know Sarah Raven's husband was related to the Sissinghurst clan, but watching them battle with the National Trust committees brought back memories for my OH who used to be employed by them years ago.

I can appreciate both sides views about the restaurant food.....the cooks want to cook what sells to their clientele, but the view that dishes have to be authentically 'British' or have to have a reason to be linked to the property made me laugh out loud. The 'preserve it as it is at costs' to keep things 'authentic' is taken to ridiculous lengths sometimes as the programme showed. I shall watch the next installments with interest!

[thifasmom]

well just finished watching the two episodes and think what Sarah and her husband are trying to do quite commendable. i know the NT is all about tradition, etc but like all institutions they can become so entrenched in the system of doing things they sometimes forget the small things that made the history great in the first place.

it is like i saw in the Victorian farm show recently where the lady mentioned that history normally records the big things that led to change but the day to day small things that help complete the picture are normally forgoten as they are not always thought to be splendid enough.

[artichoke]

I don't see this as an exercise to "preserve it as it is at all costs' to keep things 'authentic'...... taken to ridiculous lengths".

I see it as an  idea so new they are having difficulty in explaining it to the NT. I lived next to Sissinghurst for 20 years and used it like a back garden (season ticket for £1 in the late 60s, children free!) and remember it well as a busy mixed farm with hops and cattle (my husband was their vet and my children helped with the B&B business when they were old enough) and orchards, and watched it going into a long depressing decline. They never grew vegetables on a large scale, and they had no restaurant, so this is all new.

If they can possibly manage it, this is how things should be: a restaurant using locally grown food, and with their captive audience of thousands of hungry visitors it might work, if they are efficient enough at growing vegetables on a large enough scale.

[Deb P]

I don't see this as an exercise to "preserve it as it is at all costs' to keep things 'authentic'...... taken to ridiculous lengths".

I see it as an  idea so new they are having difficulty in explaining it to the NT

Er, their ideas for the development of the restaurant, the menu and their plans for the return to more livestock were not what I was referring to there! I have every sympathy with their plans for a return to locally produced food etc, it was the frustrations of dealing with the NT's permission systems that I was referring to. The difficulties of obtaining the NT's permission to do any, even building saving changes are common throughout their properties.

My OH had to rebuild a derelict outbuilding roof at one NT property, and had to do it so that it retained its wonky look despite it never having been designed to be like that originally. He even jokingly wrote out a chit for some moss to replace the stuff that had been knocked off when they reused the tiles.......some didn't realise it was a joke! Still, the experience stood him in good stead for when he built my 'wonky' shed! ;D

[artichoke]

Sorry, Deb P, I misunderstood what you meant! I'm glad we agree.

[Froglegs]

Talk about looking gift horse in the mouth,if i was the NT i would tell them if they don't like it then bugger off.the way the both walk round the place like they own it is pissing me off just watching it, so god knows how the poor old staff must feel.If you ask me they don't like the fact that daddy give it away.

[betula]

I would have not been happy if my Daddy gave it away either ;D

[Froglegs]

I would have not been happy if my Daddy gave it away either ;D

It's a hard life. ::)