Charles opening Clarence House gardens to public

[Nighthawk]

Charles opening Clarence House gardens to public
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hzFSeaoWlBUBwabAa6xBXOO4AEnA

The Prince of Wales is to open the gardens of his Clarence House home in London to the public as part of an initiative to encourage people to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

Visitors will be able to stroll amongst the manicured lawns and tree-covered open spaces of Charles's residence and the neighbouring grounds of Lancaster House and Marlborough House and experience a "festival" in the heart of the capital.

The 12-day Garden Party To Make A Difference will be a mix of exhibitions, interactive displays, activities and live performances from comedians, musicians and speakers. The event is part of the Prince's Start initiative which aims to help people across the UK take small steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Charles, whose own vegetable patch and rose garden will be open to the public, said: "We have a fantastic team of talented curators who are helping us create an event which will, I hope, be both fun and informative.

"This festival is just one way in which Start can help to demonstrate how we can all make a difference, however big or small the steps we take."

A host of famous faces from the worlds of entertainment and business have backed the initiative, with support or practical help. Jools Holland has created the musical programme, while debate will be handled by Jonathan Dimbleby, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Clive Anderson.

Comedians Marcus Brigstocke and Hugh Dennis will generate thought-provoking laughter while Dame Vivienne Westwood will provide the fashion element and Alan Titchmarsh will cover growing and gardens.

[heather]

 How much ?

[Nighthawk]

that's what I was thinking when I posted the article Heather...how much is the public going to be charged to see this little garden of his talk about Making money off being a royal  can't tell me that he's doing this out of the goodness of his heart for nothing


Prince Charles hosts Clarence House public garden party
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/10206590.stm

[Earl Grey]

I prefer this to asking to tax payer for a rise.  
My granny, when she was still able to do so, travelled to England to see English gardens and I am sure she isn't the only one. Charles's garden could become an real attraction.

[Nighthawk]

it benefits his pocket one way or another and these same tax paying people are still paying more on top of there taxes to see this garden so I don't see any relevant.  I also don't see how this might benefit the economy.  Just fattens his wallet IMO

[Earl Grey]

More people travelling to England? I mean on of the big arguments to keep the BRF is that it attracts tourists. Clarence House is London. Many tourists see the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Those people might also like to see CH's gardens.
At the least the tax payer has a choice to pay to see his gardens or not. Paying tax is obligatory for everyone.

[Nighthawk]

I suppose but for a small price you can see it
http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1041360&c=1

Tickets, priced £15 for adults and £7.50 for children are on sale from 9am today.

So it's ok for Royals to profit off themselves and what the taxpayer pay for them to have ?

[heather]

 As note of interest I shall add that Paris has many more tourists a year..and they killed off their Royals some time ago..

[Earl Grey]

but how many of them visit Versailles? Or the forbidden city in Beijing? Or the czar's palaces in Saint Petersburgh? People are fascinated by royalty and are quite willing to pay if they get a glimpse of the world of royalty.

Nothing personal heather  
I never knew Paris has more visitors than London. Both cities are very famous metropolis. I consider myself lucky because I visited them both.

[Nighthawk]

theregister: Prince Charles, Stephen Fry and IBM to save the planet

The Prince of Wales will be throwing open his gardens at Clarence House for festivities accompanying the summit in September, and so will "his neighbours", as Start honcho Sir Tom Shebbeare puts it - that is the Foreign and Commonwealth office at Lancaster House and the Commonwealth Secretariat at Marlborough House.

All three mansions' gardens are normally closed to the public, but during the Start event people will be able to buy tickets for £15 per head. Various luminaries will be on hand to entertain and inform, including Jools Holland, Clive Anderson, Alan Titchmarsh, Vivienne Westwood - and of course the Twitterverse's favourite gadgeteer, Stephen Fry.

Behind closed doors in Lancaster House IBM will brainstorm with its selected corporate, political and "third sector" invitees. These will include Start partner companies such as Asda, BT, EDF Energy and Marks and Spencer. Topics under discussion will include smart metering and smart grids, smarter supply chains and "the information revolution - enabling sustainability through analytics, information and insight".

According to IBM marketing veep Caroline Taylor, speaking to reporters alongside Shebbeare and Leonard at Lancaster House yesterday, the Start event "isn't marketing led ... it's a summit, not a conference. People are conferenced out."

While the summit won't be open to the public, parts of it will be reported on by the media. Other sessions will be held under Chatham House rules. Reports detailing the work of the summit will be produced by ICT consultants The Bathwick Group, retained by IBM.

Asked if IBM would be inviting its competitors to the potentially lucrative summit sessions covering such matters as smart grids and the "information revolution", Taylor replied "not proactively, no". Pressed on this subsequently by The Reg, she said: "If someone, say a client, insisted that someone else be there, then fine. But in general I'm not sure why we'd spend a lot of money giving them the time."

So there was an agenda behind this. why not have the public pay for this Summit meeting   was so kind of Prince Charles to allow the public to pay him to see his gardens 

[Angelbaby]

   I read time ago that Chuck's gardens are quite famous because of being organic and sustainable.  I also read that the waiting list to see these gardens is no less that 5 years so this is a big event with entertainers, comedians, etc, etc.  This to me sound more like a "flower show" but only an "organic/sustainable" garden/flower show and I would not have a problem forking over the money because I love flower shows and I really think that what Chuck has done here is very unique especially by adding a "sustainable summit" in the mist of all of this beauty may just have an influential effect on the participants.  IMHO

 :Linda: