{"id":"69c57738948ce0defd0a5235","title":"Windmills Out Of Mind","path":"publications/annual-reviews/2023/windmills-out-of-mind","contentMarkdown":"# Windmills out of Mind\n\n![](https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/api/aws/s3/site-content/a1ac3fb5-c339-4438-bfdd-b3abc2820e99.jpeg)\n\nYou probably didn't know that Kent County Council owns eight windmills that enhance the character of the towns and countryside through which we walk. Needless to say, looking after these windmills costs money and KCC doesn't have enough funding to cover all its expenditure. It is therefore hoping to find other people who will take on responsibility for these windmills and is carrying out a public consultation.\n\nThere are dangers in handing over assets like these to charitable trusts and similar organisations. One only has to remember Hadlow Tower which, when owned by the charitable Vivat Trust, was renovated with oodles of lottery money in return for regular public access. The Trust ran into financial difficulties and was liquidated with its properties sold off to private owners. For many years there was no public access and currently the tower is open only a couple of days each year.\n\n![](https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/api/aws/s3/site-content/efc48390-1e36-4c5e-b882-5cf2a2e7c3f5.jpeg)\n\n*Hadlow Tower -- a cautionary tale about transferring heritage assets to charitable trusts*","contentHtml":"<h1>Windmills out of Mind</h1>\n<p><img src=\"https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/api/aws/s3/site-content/a1ac3fb5-c339-4438-bfdd-b3abc2820e99.jpeg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>You probably didn&#39;t know that Kent County Council owns eight windmills that enhance the character of the towns and countryside through which we walk. Needless to say, looking after these windmills costs money and KCC doesn&#39;t have enough funding to cover all its expenditure. It is therefore hoping to find other people who will take on responsibility for these windmills and is carrying out a public consultation.</p>\n<p>There are dangers in handing over assets like these to charitable trusts and similar organisations. One only has to remember Hadlow Tower which, when owned by the charitable Vivat Trust, was renovated with oodles of lottery money in return for regular public access. The Trust ran into financial difficulties and was liquidated with its properties sold off to private owners. For many years there was no public access and currently the tower is open only a couple of days each year.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/api/aws/s3/site-content/efc48390-1e36-4c5e-b882-5cf2a2e7c3f5.jpeg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p><em>Hadlow Tower -- a cautionary tale about transferring heritage assets to charitable trusts</em></p>\n"}