[namethatsheep]

I went to Palacerigg (Country Park), near Cumbernauld today for the first time in ages.

I recalled a visit some 15 or 16 years ago and remembered being impressed by the numbers of visitors and the range of animals, both domestic and native wild. 

I had heard that there had been some difficulties at the park due to council cut backs and that some stock had been sold to cover a deficit. However, I had not expected the impact to have been so severe - today, on view, there was a handful of sheep (Boreray, North Ronaldsay and a single Jacob), four pigs (three weaners and a mature Tamworth), an arthritic, 21 year old Dwarf Zebu, eight Bagot goats and a dozen Scots Grey/Scots Dumpy/mixed chickens. Most of the enclosures were closed off or empty. There were plenty of folk - some complaining about the lack of stock. There were plenty of signs with breed information for the aforementioned animals, but why couldn't the signs have been clean and at least level? The park centre - in a newish building - had a spartan information centre, a small homage to David Stephen (the noted naturalist/writer and manager of the inaugural park) and a few tanks with fish and frogs. There were plenty of signs advising that Palacerigg was an approved RBST centre and lots of RBST posters.

Now I know councils are having a tough time, but if a job is worth doing it is worth doing well or not at all (and thus they should step aside and let a charity, for instance, manage the concern and thus enable it to be eligible for lottery grants etc.).  If I were an RBST member I'd be angry about the association with such a poor park. There was no sense of pride: it was tatty, unkempt and frankly appalling. The only good thing that I can say is that the sheep and goats looked in good condition.

I was left hugely disappointed by the experience and frustrated that a park run by a council in central Scotland with over 3 million people within one hour's drive had missed such a massive opportunity.  I was left thinking that with staff salaries etc the park was probably still costing a fair amount to run and for what?

Apologies for such a rant...

[lord flynn]

they've recently had a plague of rats-I thought that not all the enclosures were open again yet. seems a shame doesn't it.

[Fleecewife]

As a member of the group which helped Palacerigg survive the first proposed Council cuts a few years ago, I'm really sorry you found it so awful.  In the second round of cuts the Council oversaw a huge cut in animal numbers, and changes of staff.  What the Council really wanted was to turn it into a GoApe type adventure place, so being a suspicious kind of person I can't help but think maybe their intervention was intended to make the park so unpopular that they could get their way, arguing the park is failing.  I'll probably be burned at the stake for saying that.
I know the folk who work there want to make it a really good visit, but they are so restricted by it being Council owned.
There are more animals in other parts of the park, but as Lord Flynn has said, the recent rat explosion must have meant the emptying of the runs for cleaning and pest eradication.
Palacerigg has only recently become an RBST approved park, in an effort to raise standards and to be able to progress with their support.  I understand that many years ago it was closer to being a zoo, with other species than farm livestock.  Is this what you remember?

[Scotsdumpy]

A similar thing happened at Doonies farm near Aberdeen - the council was determined to get rid of the RBST farm and the local group were very active in raising awareness, funds and support. Although the council dispersed most of the stock through local
marts the manager of the farm managed to buy the farm and is now running the farm himself. The local RBST group canvassedthe then chairman Peter Titley who put forward an excellent case for the farm's continuation. The local group now hold events through the year and have a presence at most local agricultural shows. However, the farm keeps going by the fee paying public and money from sales etc. So, if you want to support these types of venues then visit more regularly, get involved in some way, volunteer - maybe clean the signs and straighten them, cut the grass, the jobs are endless and never ending.

[Rosemary]

As a former local government employee, I cannot think of a worse organistaion to run a facility like Palacerigg than a local authority. I agree with the OP that it would be far better perhaps as a charitable trust or soemthing similar - but that requires a high level of commitment from a lot of folk on an unpaid basis, at least initially. But folk are busy and often volunteers are hard to get especially for a long term committment.

Gorgie City Farm crowdfunded to stay afloat after its local authority grant was cut.

Funilly enough, I spoke to a bloke from Beecraigs Country Park, which is in West Lothian, at the Lanark RB sale and they seem to be setting up some sort of farm park.

[namethatsheep]

Thanks to all for your clarification. I had not appreciated the particular circumstances at Palacerigg and perhaps was a little too damning in my comments. However, I do believe that if something is worth doing then it is worth doing well and perhaps it is time for us to grasp the nettle and a establish a single park in Scotland to showcase native domestic animals - principally for educational purposes. These domestic animals are, after all, part of our cultural history

Perhaps a range of bodies and organisations could come together and coalesce around an existing attraction (e.g. the Museum of Museum of Rural Life at East Kilbride) to provide, as an adjunct, a meaningful educational-focussed facility celebrating and promoting native species.  I appreciate that for most of the population domestic farm animals may not be a big draw but I'm sure as an ancillary attraction - even at a GoApe-like attraction - there would be an opportunity for widening knowledge and generating enthusiasm in native animals. We've got a great story to tell in terms of our animals with their cultural, geographical and scientific associations. After all there are must be at  least nine Scottish native sheep breeds (including Blackface even though originally from Pennines), eight or so cattle breeds, three or more poultry/domestic ducks and four horse/pony breeds - and the role they played or inspired in industrialisation, the shaping of our landscape, literature, clothing, nutrition, colonisation of distant lands etc..

 I'm sorely tempted to write to RMS, NTS and Scottish Government to promote such a concept - at worst they can only say no.

[Rosemary]

I'm sorely tempted to write to RMS, NTS and Scottish Government to promote such a concept - at worst they can only say no.

On you go. Seriously. Commenting on here only goes so far - sometimes you just have to be The One that sticks their neck out and drives it forward. 

[Rosemary]

I take my hat off to the staff who do it every day for the animals despite the challenges they face and I truly hope that they will soon be rewarded with sufficient funding to turn the place around.

I know some of the staff and yes, they were gutted. Sufficient funding? Not likely.

[harmony]

Hopefully the RBST status will give them access to some sound advice because if there is not enough for people to see or do and the place is looking tatty then no-one will go and the situation will get worse.

[Rosemary]

Hopefully the RBST status will give them access to some sound advice because if there is not enough for people to see or do and the place is looking tatty then no-one will go and the situation will get worse.

I think RBST will be limited to advice on breeding programmes rather than business advice as such- and they certainly have no significant funds to invest. Local authorities trying to run "commercial" ventures are generally hopeless - too risk averse, run by committee, dragged down by party politics - and struggling to justify investment in projects such as Palacerigg, when statutory services are under threat. Even trying to justify it as an educational facility supporting CfE is hard if schools don't have the money to actually visit it.

Not sure what the solution is - but it's likely to turn into death by a thousand cuts.

[harmony]

Hopefully the RBST status will give them access to some sound advice because if there is not enough for people to see or do and the place is looking tatty then no-one will go and the situation will get worse.

I think RBST will be limited to advice on breeding programmes rather than business advice as such- and they certainly have no significant funds to invest. Local authorities trying to run "commercial" ventures are generally hopeless - too risk averse, run by committee, dragged down by party politics - and struggling to justify investment in projects such as Palacerigg, when statutory services are under threat. Even trying to justify it as an educational facility supporting CfE is hard if schools don't have the money to actually visit it.

Not sure what the solution is - but it's likely to turn into death by a thousand cuts.

I don't see that the RBST will be limited to advising on breeding programmes. I accept they might not be business consultants but they will have experience and contacts through the other RBST centres who face many of the same difficulties. I entirely agree with your take on Local Authorities and as you say they have enough problems delivering essential services.