Campaigner hopes castle officials will hear his plea for audio guide

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to persuade English Heritage to provide an audio guide for visitors to Barnard Castle.

This is after one man’s six-year crusade for an audio-guide at the town attraction has repeatedly fallen flat.

Robert Hartness first called on English Heritage to produce one in 2011 and again in 2013, but both times he was told it was not financially viable. He said: “People visiting the town need an audio account of the town's fabulous history and its castle.

“It would be a boon for the visually impaired and people with mobility difficulties who can’t access all areas of the castle.”

The 81-year-old added that he had resigned membership of English Heritage out of frustration after the second attempt failed. He said: “I’ve got an interest in English Heritage and everything they do, but I just felt that strongly about it.

He argues that a host of English Heritage sites in the south have audio guides, but the north is largely ignored.

Mr Hartness, a Rotarian, said: “When you talk about the history of England, you are talking about the north of England – all the big battles in the dark ages were in the north.”

He is now calling on people to help prepare a history of the castle which can be used to produce an audio-guide. He is also hoping to get support from townsfolk to petition English Heritage to produce one.

Anyone who can support Mr Hartness can email robert.hartness@icloud.com.

Despite a number of requests, English Heritage was not able to comment as we went to press.