Has time now come for RSPB to relocate from its current HQ - The Lodge in Sandy - to smaller premises?

A Monday mid-morning and just three vehicles in the car park outside The Lodge

HAS the time come for the RSPB to quit is current HQ and move to smaller premises?

With many, if not most, of  its administrative staff now working from home, The Lodge at Sandy seems far too capacious for the society's needs.

Even the chief executive, Beccy Speight, is a rare visitor, reportedly only calling in for quarterly board meetings. 

Built in 1870, Sandy Lodge has, since 1961,  been the HQ of the organisation which bought the land and buildings from brick-manufacturing tycoon Sir Malcolm Stewart for the sum of, wait for it . . .  £25,000! 

For a while the late Princess Margaret had been a potential purchaser but she was dissuaded from pursuing her interest after being advised that a public bridleway through the grounds posed a security risk.

Given its age, it is inevitable  that the property is extremely expensive to heat and maintain, and all that precious money could be spent on   . . . protecting birds.

It is not known if the RSPB's continued presence has come up for recent discussion at meetings either of Ms Speight's executive team or of the board because the minutes are deemed confidential.

However, a question to this effect has been submitted to the society's annual meeting on Saturday morning.

The Swiss-style building at the entrance to the 104-acres grounds of The Lodge now serves as a shop, and there is a relatively newly-built cafe next door.

Part of the surrounding heathland and woodland nature reserve has been designated as a site of Special Scientific Interest, though, apart from visits by Nightjars and/or Woodlarks, it is not understood to be of substantial ornithological interest. 

Just like the Swiss Alps! The shop at the entrance to The Lodge 

                                      

Some of the titles on sale in the book section 

                                                                            

Modular style - the cafe and restaurant at The Lodge

                                                                                       

Bracken and a variety of mature trees are features of the spacious grounds

It is important to keep the site secure - but it comes at a cost