Bute Park - Best in Wales

Bute Park in Cardiff has been awarded the prestigious accolade of the best park in Wales, in Britain’s Best Park competition.

The park scooped the regional award back in 2008 and has beat off tough competition from other parks across Wales to take the 2009 title.

Parks were judged on various criteria including environment, design, usability, access, maintenance and community involvement. Judges were particularly impressed by Bute Park’s wide variety of attractions and community events, excellent horticulture and ease of accessibility to and from Cardiff city centre.

Executive member for Culture, Leisure and Parks, Councillor Nigel Howells, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Bute Park and all the staff that work so hard to make it look so fantastic all year round. Following on from the park’s Green Flag earlier in the year this is another important accolade and a strong endorsement that we are getting it right in the park.

“Judges clearly understood the considerable benefits of our new access arrangements and the great news is that Bute Park can only improve and get better as we embark on our £5.6m conservation project, supported by the £3.1m Heritage Lottery Fund grant, to restore, enhance and help people learn about the many historic features in the park including the Animal Wall, Blackfriars Friary and West Lodge.

“Visitors to Cardiff are always impressed by the park and how much green space there is in the city centre. Cardiff Council is committed to making sure we keep winning these top awards by working hard to maintain and improve Bute Park – which really is a jewel in the crown of this city and used and enjoyed widely by the community, including disability groups.”

Ian Small, business development manager for petrol lawn mower engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton UK Ltd, who sponsor the award, said: “Bute Park has a traditional feel, it is maintained to the highest standards and its community attractions make it a worthy winner of the regional prize.”

Jennifer Stewart, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Wales, which is supporting the restoration of the park with a £3.1m grant, said: “Bute Park is enormously popular with both local people and visitors, and deserves to be celebrated.

“When the work is complete the visitor experience will be enhanced even further as the park will once again be connected to the gardens and Castle, creating one fantastic space to explore and enjoy in the heart of the city.”

The judges for this year’s competition comprised of a panel of trade and consumer horticultural journalists. On the panel was; Peter Seabrook MBE and Steve Bradley (gardening editors, The Sun), Matthew Appleby (news editor, Horticulture Week), Anisa Gress (The Garden), Jean Vernon (freelance gardening journalist) Trevor Pfeiffer, (Garden Trade News), Laurence Gale (Pitchcare magazine) and Nicole Gritzmacher (Briggs & Stratton Europe).

The Britain’s Best Parks competition was started in 2003 by Briggs & Stratton as part of a global network of competitions recognising and rewarding excellence in park design and maintenance. Similar competitions run in six countries including Sweden, Germany, Poland, France and Italy.