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Hampton Court to Keep Garden Charges

10.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 14th Feb 2005

Topiary at Hampton Court Palace. (photography: Matt Raines)

Hampton Court Palace

Following a review of the 2004 season, the Hampton Court Palace authorities are to keep the new charges which, last year raised approximately £134,000, £96,500 net of expenses. A tenth of all palace visitors, 42,000 paid to visit the Gardens on a day basis and 800 others - mainly residents - invested in season tickets.

The Palace authorities expressed themselves pleased with the extra income (more than their £75,000 target) which has been used for gardening; and say that behaviour has also improved.

Vincent Cable, MP for Twickenham, who had campaigned against the charges, said that "many residents will be disappointed by the decision. There are, probably, a lot of local people who would have visited the gardens but were put off by the charges.

"But I welcome the decision to freeze the charges in 2005 and especially welcome the indication that one of the changes I and others have been pressing for - late opening in summer evenings - may well be introduced."

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