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Letters to the Editor
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Birdsgrove House
In need of assurance
From Mr K. H. Grace-Dutton
I read, with great interest, the notice headed “Auction
of Birdsgrove House contents” in The Journal (29 July, p141). Before the contents
go under the hammer may I enquire as to why the house is not being auctioned?
The guide figure of £1,875,000 seems low and I would have thought
an auction with a specified target figure would have better protected
the interests of members and their Benevolent Fund. “The Grade
II listed mansion, with a former coach house and a two-bedroom cottage
and 4.6 hectares of land with the river Dove frontage” would have
commanded a higher figure, especially if development is envisaged.
When I came off the Register at retirement, several pharmacists expressed
their concern at the apparent lack of openness, verging on secrecy, especially
when approached to book at Birdsgrove by direct, “private” letter.
After booking we were then told that the bookings that had been sorted
by Birdsgrove were to be cancelled by them, and done so in a seemingly
indecent hurry.
I am sorry to remain somewhat sceptical and suspicious about the handling
of Birdsgrove matters. I request, please, that assurances are given that
all is in order and correct for the sake of the membership and the Benevolent
Fund.
K. H. Grace-Dutton
Long Buckby, Northamptonshire
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BERNARD KELLY, director of finance and resources at the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society, responds:
Birdsgrove House is an unusual property that must
be marketed carefully to ensure the full potential of the property
is maximised
for the benefit of the Benevolent Funds. Knight Frank has been retained
as the agent for the sale following a tendering process that involved
a number of leading firms with relevant experience. The guide price
reflects the valuation by Knight Frank but was confirmed by the valuations
of the
others agents invited to tender.
Other methods of sale were considered, including formal tender and
auction, but it was concluded that such rigid and inflexible methods
of sale would not maximise
the full potential of the property. The chosen method is, therefore, to offer
the property for sale by informal tender with a closing date for the submission
of bids. This process will allow the greatest degree of flexibility for negotiation
with a prospective purchaser, which could include a share in any future development.
The potential for development has been explored by the commissioning of a
full planning appraisal as part of the sale arrangements; the results
of that planning
appraisal helped inform the valuation by the agents. |
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal