Greenhouse attraction to remain free to public
17:03 14th September 2009
The prospect of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh charging visitors has been knocked back by the Scottish government, it has been revealed.
According to BBC News, trustees of the site had asked the parliament for permission to charge a £4 entry fee to visitors, but this was vetoed by ministers, who said it had to remain "freely accessible to the public".
Regious keeper professor Stephen Blackmore explained the charity was "frustrated" by the government's decision to remunerate other bodies that had lost out through investment in Icelandic banks and said it felt let down not to be able to charge an entrance levy.
"Almost all the botanic gardens in the country charge an entry fee and so the trustees had mooted the idea to environment minister Richard Lochhead but he ruled it out as he didn't want there to be a charge," he told the news provider.
The request reportedly came as a result of the attraction losing cash through a £1.2 million investment in Icelandic bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander, which subsequently went into administration.
Administrators have returned 20 per cent of the sum, although BBC News reported there is hope the site could receive up to 50 per cent of its cash back.
The news comes weeks before the garden and greenhouse facility is set to open a new section at its west gate, which will include retail facilities.
