HAMPTON COURT PALACE ENJOYS BIGGEST DAY OF THE YEAR
Hampton Court Palace enjoyed its busiest day of the year today, partly because it was one of the rare FREE ENTRANCE days and bolstered by the annual half-marathon which attracts thousands of runners and their friends and supporters and begins and ends at Henry VIII’s historic home on the Thames.
Entries were sold out for the run and it is hoped that over £100.000 will be raised for the Royal Marsden Cancer charity.
The normal Sunday numbers were also boosted because yesterday and today was only the second FREE weekend of entrance when visitors can see the stunning gardens full of daffodils and new planting as well as enjoyed coffee or lunch in the Tiltyard Cafe. Entry closes at 4pm today (sunday)
Those who competed the half-marathon could be seen proudly wearing their medals visiting the gardens and enjoying the cafe and even the ice cream parlour, open for the first time this year.
A campaign was launched to restore free entrance just for the gardens but Historic Royal Palaces have consistently rejected the idea, blaming the enormous toll the pandemic took on their financial situation.
