DOWNTON DREAM ALIVE - Lady Lockdown on first step to recovery

HIGHCLERE Castle boss Lady Carnarvon has revealed it will take five years to financially recover from the Covid-19 lockdowns.

-  Julia Kuttner

The stately home, which is the set of Downton Abbey, shut during the series of national lockdowns. Now, as she prepares to reopen the castle doors to the public on Tuesday, Lady Carnarvon says they have a long road to recovery.

She also described the return of the Downton Abbey team – who began filming there again last month – as a “school reunion” and is looking forward to welcoming visitors back this week.

Speaking of the catastrophic financial hit suffered by many historic houses, she says: “It will take five years to recover. It’s going to take us five years to come back.”

As she prepares to turn the signs on the castle gates to “open”, she is excited at life returning to normal.