MANSIONS AS INDUSTRIAL HEADQUARTERS

Chronicle (Levin), 16 April 1947, Page 7

MANSIONS AS INDUSTRIAL HEADQUARTERS

LONBON, April 11. I Oue of the anomalies of lil'e in » jiresent dav •Brituin is that althougli there is a severe housing sliortage, livre, is a glut of mansions. Under present conditions it is impossible for iny but the wealtbiest families to keej) ip hu'ge country and town houses anu as a result an increasing number of ■ftately liomes of Ungland are b-eing transferred to the National Trust, cut ap into fiats or apartments, or sold as oliices. Following the method adopteb during the war when many large firms found it eonvenient to decentralise their activities and take preinises out of London and other large cities, a numlier of firms are now discussing leases oi- tlie purchase of country man sions with the idea of linding office accommodation away p from the cities. In addition to Hinyley Hall, the National Coal Board recently acquired seven other large country properties for development as regional headquarters. Sherwood I.odge, near Nottingham, the f'ornier home of Lord Sherwood, has been converted into headquarters for the East Midlands Divisional Coal' Board and LindleV Lodge, near Nuneaton, will becoiue headquarters for the West Midlands Division. Banmorir Hall, near Sheffield and the castle at Oastle Eden, Countv Durham, are two I more properties recently acquireij for 3 coal board purposes. London firms I state that the problem of finding staff I accommodation is generallv too difficult § to eti-ourtge iarye s^nle movemqnt f away frOm the capital but ;n the Mid- j lands and llic north a number of large 3 firms and government departments re- | cently transferred from towns to the I country, *