All historic houses are unique, with their muddled histories of acquisitions, inheritances and curious family descents. What the majority have in common is that even when open to the public they are still, first and foremost, private homes. 

Opening historic houses, whether in public or private ownership, has become part of their raison d’être. If these properties are now independent trusts, providing access may be fundamental to their retaining charitable status. Some private owners may need to accept visitors for a specified minimum number of days annually in return for government grants - perhaps towards the cost of structural repairs, or as part of an agreement for access to Conditionally Exempt Chattels. 

There is a however tension between upkeep and display. And while it might make commercial sense to ask a property to ‘wash its face’, opening a property to the general public always carries a price. There will be inevitable deterioration due to light exposure, accidental damage, dust and dirt and general wear and tear, as well as the increased theft exposure and the costs associated with displaying and guides.

In Britain there is a long tradition of exploring historic sites, stemming from the Middle Ages and the cult of pilgrimage. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, sixteenth-century visitors were principally English gentlemen, explorers and European diplomats who, as guests, critics or sightseers, visited royal palaces and the so-called prodigy houses such as Hardwick Hall, Longleat House and Burghley House. 

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the aristocracy and middle classes were equally curious to study ‘taste’ as manifested by country house collections. A senior servant, often the housekeeper, would show tourists around properties, and guidebooks or catalogues were often provided. By the early nineteenth century, Thomas Hope had opened his homes at Duchess Street and Deepdene and John Soane had opened his home in Lincoln’s Inn Fields; each wished to promote their own style and taste.

The popularity of these visits certainly exacted a toll upon such houses’ rightful owners. Referring to his own property in Strawberry Hill, Horace Walpole wrote in 1783 ‘I am tormented all day and every day by people that come to see my house, and have no enjoyment of it in summer’.  Thereafter, Walpole published rules for the showing of his house, so paving the way for future owners to ration viewing hours and days, issue tickets and guard against acts of theft and vandalism.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, changing attitudes and improvements in income, leisure time and transport have made visiting historic houses more popular to a wider public, both through organized day excursions and through educational trips. Up until the Second World War, houses were usually opened in aid of charity. But nowadays, income from visitors is essential to cover such running expenses as staffing and security costs, and to maintaining standards of presentation. The interest resulting from the 1974 V&A exhibition entitled ‘The Destruction of the Country House’ marked a shift in public opinion to conserving these important parts of our social history.

Following the heritage Britain boom of the 1980’s and 1990’s the focus has moved away from the house to the gardens and wider landscape of an estate. Today, sadly, the interior content of houses is often considered secondary to the setting, entertainment, retail and food opportunities. 

Interior visitor numbers have generally fallen whilst running expenses have generally risen. Such a commercial squeeze has led many properties to re-evaluate the way they open and present themselves to the public in the twenty-first century. 

The following notes are a source of initial reference advice for any historic property owner interested in opening their house to the public. They are designed only to give you a brief and immediate overview of all the many issues involved. For full and detailed guidance on your own individual circumstances, it is always best to seek specialist advice. 

Condition Exempt Chattels 
Specialist insurers understand that some public access is normal for more and more houses. Along with commercial activities, there is the growing requirement to open properties in order to show conditional exempt chattels. 

If of prominent heritage quality, houses, land, chattels and historically associated objects may be exempt from Inheritance and Capital Gains Tax in exchange for public access. The purpose of this policy is to help to keep properties intact from generation to generation. The1998 Budget introduced new and controversial measures for extended access and publicity for many properties not previously opened on a commercial basis. 

(Following the letters in 2005 from the Capital Taxes Office (CTO) to individual owners announcing the process of revising existing pre-1998 Finance Act agreements on public access to conditionally exempt property, the Historic Houses Association (HHA) pressed the CTO on how flexible it was prepared to be to take account of such factors as security and the remoteness of particular houses. The HHA have 1,500 private houses – more than the National Trust – of which 350 are open to the public, attracting some 15 million visitors per year.) 

Granting access to written request
Each exemption is different. The variations are usually due to the date of the exemption (earlier exemptions tend to be more generous) and the importance of the exempted items etc. In a few cases there is no right of public access. For some others a period of access has been offset by an agreed period of public exhibition at a prescribed museum or gallery. For the majority, however, opening is via prior written appointment. Infrequent specific requests of this nature should be fairly straightforward to organise, and the credentials of the visitor – usually an academic – easy to verify. Such visitors should be accompanied at all times by a member of the household and records of all visits should be kept for possible future submission as evidence.

Exhibiting objects at a controlled location 
If you wish to retain your privacy and the items are safely transportable you can within reason exhibit the objects at any controlled location. Also remember that only those areas containing exempt items need to be shown. Wherever practical, therefore, consideration should be given to displaying exempted items together – although amassing such a concentration of value in one location would require detailed risk assessment beforehand. Many properties – even major visitor attractions that open normally private areas – have to offer a set number of visitor days to satisfy exemption rules of access. The average is around 30 days annually. 

From the modest private home to the major tourist attraction and events host, public access clearly covers a multitude of individual circumstances. Perversely the larger, more formalised opening regimes can be the most cost-effective to run; but ultimately all access includes a degree of additional risk and expenditure. The following notes are advice on the best practice for consideration. Naturally some hybrid solutions and compromise is inevitable. 

Planning your operation 
Possibly the principal consideration is whether to have a ‘free flow’ system for visitors, whether to regulate visitor traffic in small groups, or whether to allow a mixture of both. If employing paid attendants, staffing costs can be considerable. But the inevitable need to budget should not compromise the number of room attendants required to cover the chosen route. You will also need to consider disabled visitors’ access needs as part of your overall risk assessments. When planning tour routes through the house, the plans will need to include public access to toilets and washrooms. Such facilities should be located in ‘low care’ areas of the property that do not breach private or security-sensitive areas. 

Group tours 
For smaller group visits – for example, those often arranged by well-known or local amenity societies – prior written notification by a society secretary figure provides some level of control. Always check however that all attendees are known to the organiser, who should be able to supply a full list of names and addresses.

The ideal size for a tour group is from twelve to sixteen persons. Larger groups should generally be split and staggered – refreshments or a tour of the gardens are amongst the most favoured options for doing so at smaller houses. 

The Guide’s Role 
The guide’s role is to lead the tour and to inform the visitors. The ‘sweeper’ follows behind and keeps the group together (this is an essential role, because for fire safety reasons you cannot lock and unlock rooms in rotation). Ideally there should always also be a third person on hand should a visitor be taken ill or otherwise require attention. Lone working by staff is discouraged, in order to mitigate duress situations and to comply with current health and safety legislation.

Staff duties and training requirements 
If commercial activities are completed on site, all staff duties must be risk assessed. These should be duly documented if five or more staff are employed in anything other than a purely domestic role. Additional staff training may be required as a result of the risk assessment completion. Staff should be provided with mobile panic buttons, radios or mobile telephones with which to summon assistance if required. In larger properties with a high degree of footfall, it is a good idea for staff to be trained in observation skills, distraction awareness and event control, management and reporting. 

Managing ‘free flow’ visitors 
Room attendants should ideally be placed so that they can see into each room of the visitor route. Rooms with high values of contents – containing for example open displays of ceramics or silverware – should always be attended. Insurers, local museums and such bodies as the HHA are all good sources of advice, and are worth consulting on the securing of exhibit collections.

Safely locating and securing small items 
Naturally a compromise has to be made between access and security – visitors pay to view collections but the collections must be physically secured. No vulnerable items should be located within 1.5 meters of guide ropes. Ceramics, bronzes, silver and small objects such as photograph frames, desk items and clocks are often targeted by opportunist and professional thieves alike, due to their ease of removal and disposability. Wherever possible, such items should either be housed in display cases or otherwise secured, and maybe even fitted with an audible alarm, as determined by a considered risk assessment. Such housekeeping management is often harder for smaller properties catering for intermittent visits – in these cases, increased vigilance by room attendants is essential. 

As a preventative measure against petty theft, owners may wish to place restrictions on large bags being carried into the property. It is also strongly recommended that at the close of business each day, a check is run to ensure that all security measures are properly in place and that any intruder alarm sensors in public areas have not had their lenses obscured. 

Fire risk assessment 
Initially, a full fire risk assessment will need to be undertaken in accordance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to ensure fire inception hazards are controlled, fire load managed, fire detection in place and that there is a safe means of managed public and personnel exit from the premises in the event of a fire.   

Visitor entry 
Wherever possible the visitor’s entrance should be placed as far away from any significant concentrations of value as is practical, in order to provide the ‘buffer zone’ function performed in museums by large entrance vestibules. A secondary door might therefore be appropriate for visitor entry. Non-slip mats at all entrance and exit points will help reduce the travel of dust and grit. 

Cash-handling 
Any person handling cash should be suitably trained and protected, and cash should be regularly collected and removed to a secure area. Advice from insurers should be obtained to ensure suitable safe provision is made for any cash held on the premises and that suitable insurance covers are in force.

Overcrowding and crowd-management 
Overcrowding is not as desirable a problem as it might seem. Too many visitors at once can cause damage to both structure and contents. The pleasure of the visitor experience is also marred if overcrowding makes viewing difficult, and this can often lead to lower repeat visitor numbers. More importantly, overcrowding makes it harder for stewards and guides to provide high standards of security and visitor care, and puts personal safety at risk through accident or slow evacuation in the event of an emergency. For all of these reasons, timed tour access is recommended to aid in controlling the visitor flow. 

A sustainable capacity has to be developed for each property. From a health and safety perspective, potentially weak structures such as cantilever staircases and suspended floors should be subject to a report by a structural engineer. Excessive vibration caused by visitors should also be considered. 

Dwell-time visitors will spend more time in spaces where they find things of interest – visitors might therefore pass through a bare entrance hall relatively quickly, but might congregate in a corridor lined with display cabinets. The layout of a house will also have a considerable effect on visitor flow. ‘Pinch points’ such as passages and cul-de-sac rooms, or where a large room with a low dwell-time feeds into a small one, make a well-designed visitor route imperative. 

Changes in levels are sometimes inevitable. Where they occur the area should be well lit, with levels clearly defined and appropriate safeguards such as hand-rails fitted as required (note, there are specific rules concerning disabled access which are not covered here). 

Ropes and stanchions are best placed at least 1.5 meters away from the surfaces and objects, to avoid soiling from touching as well as limiting dust travel. The positions occupied by stewards or guides can also be points of congestion, but can alternatively be useful in controlling the flow of visitors. 

Unless they form part of a fire exit, rooms not on the visitor route (such as cellars and bedrooms) should ideally be locked, in order to maintain a physical barrier between ‘public’ and ‘private’ areas. The public are often curious and if given the opportunity will stray beyond the permitted route. 

Hidden perils 
Issues with light levels and relative humidity are uninsurable actions that occur over time. Historically, houses would have been shut up, their contents covered and only shown when the family was in occupancy during a particular season. There are museum standards for both light levels and relative humidity, and specialist advice should be sought for both. To mitigate light damage in general, light-sensitive items should be situated as far as possible away from windows and any direct sunlight. Ideally, items should be covered, windows closed, curtains drawn and low-level artificial light employed wherever possible. 

In 1994, the law was changed to allow couples to hold civil marriage ceremonies at venues other than a registry office. Historic houses have since become a most popular venue for weddings and civil partnerships, which are now a high-income commercial mainstay for many properties. These notes are also appropriate for such commercial entertainment events as corporate dinners and commercial shooting parties. 

Specialist insurers are generally happy to insure the risks of some commercial activities within the property, as long as details of those activities are known in advance. Underwriters require evidence that best practice is being followed; that necessary risk assessments have been undertaken and that clients can ‘control’ each activity, either themselves or via their staff.

Maintaining control 
The pressures that commercial hospitality events place on fragile historic interiors can be enormous – so it is advisable to exercise ‘control’ and only offer clients a limited menu of pre-decided event scenarios, which have been fully assessed for their risk potential. The maximum number of guests for each event scenario will depend largely on fire evacuation requirements, as well as comfort considerations and the risk of damage to vulnerable objects and surfaces.

Working with contractors 
A further control is to ask your clients to choose from a small number of contractors, caterers, lighting and marquee companies. This should enable you to build up a good working relationship whereby both sides understand how the other operates. New contractors should have proven experience of working at other historic houses (supported by good references). Be sure to seek a copy of the contractor’s public liability certificate and ensure that the limit of indemnity stated is commensurate with the property value at risk. Contractor staff should ideally be already familiar with your property.

Planning the visitor route 
Forward planning and adequate resources are the key to safe and successful events. There should always be sufficient staff on duty, based on your risk assessment and any security considerations. Contractors should be supervised and should not move any historic contents. These should always be moved under the direction of the owner and the household staff and specific care should be taken when contractors are completing any hot works on site.

Food and drink 
To minimise the potential for damage to historic interiors and contents, food and drink should only be prepared and consumed in designated areas. With prior planning much can be done to mitigate the potential for damage. Remember a commercial kitchen has to be inspected annually by local trading standards. Food preparation and handling must comply with the Food Act (1990) and Food Safety Standards, (see www.food.gov.uk ).  Imported cooking facilities and their location must be incorporated in the overall fire risk assessment.

Wherever possible check the menus for canapés or buffets in advance and try to avoid greasy food (such as deep-fat frying), strong smelling foods, soft fillings and highly coloured foods such as coloured berries, as all can cause irreversible staining to interiors and contents, especially carpets and textiles. Ideally a wedding ‘breakfast’ is best held outdoors in a marquee supported by its own kitchen, thus limiting the exposure to the property. 

Furnishing, protection and damage prevention 
Always provide ample occasional tables. For period furniture, consider also placing heatproof covers under tablecloths, and using cut-to-size Perspex sheets for any surfaces where glasses could be left. Felt or cork pads could be used to protect polished wood surfaces. Sometimes, a conservator may advise applying a protective layer of wax. 

Absorbent stone floors and surfaces such as sculpture plinths, mantelpieces and marble table-tops require protection from wine glasses in particular. Vulnerable floors, such as those under bars, should be fitted with sacrificial carpets. Naturally spillages should be mopped up quickly to mitigate any damage. 

Designate an area where champagne and sparkling wine can be uncorked without risk to historic collections and interiors. (Several impact claims to paintings have occurred over the years!) Red wine, tea, coffee and staining juices should only be served at seated functions. At drinks receptions allow only clear non-staining beverages, such as champagne, white wine and water.

Flower arrangements 
Flower arrangements should be stable and should not be placed against historic surfaces. Mist spraying of arrangements should be avoided. Watering flowers on-site should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce spillages. If watering is required, a long–spouted plastic watering can should be used – and used carefully! Sadly, confetti should not be allowed at weddings, as this when wet can also stain historic floors. 

Candles, naked flames and fire hazards
Although decorative and romantic, candles and naked flames are a potential fire hazard. They also produce smoke and their wax can stain surfaces. In addition, smoke detectors might be inadvertently activated. Therefore if candles are absolutely required, use smokeless candles or candles enclosed in glass containers (storm lights are preferable). 

All naked flames should be supervised. No smoking is allowed in interior public spaces by law. Open fires should ideally only be lit where the chimney flues have been lined and are regularly swept, chain curtain guards are in place and the fire will not be left unattended.

Any additional interior lighting should ideally be low wattage ‘cool lights’ filtered for UV. When positioning lights, extreme care should be taken to keep them away from combustible and fragile surfaces.

All fire exits should be clearly identified and kept clear of obstructions; for larger events additional fire exits may be required. For specialist advice, arrange with your local fire brigade for a free visit from your local Fire Prevention Officer, who can also advise on the adequate provision of fire extinguishers and fire blankets. Remember that by law, all staff should be trained in emergency fire drills. 

Any electrical equipment brought onto site should have a current Portable Appliance Test (PAT) certificate, and on-site electricians should be registered. Check that the supplier’s power requirements do not overload the property’s capacity. 

Cables should be laid around the perimeter of the room to avoid trip hazards. Never stick cables down with gaffer tape (adhesive tapes should never be used as they can remove paint, wax, gilding and many other types of decorative layer, as well as stain even marble and stone floors). 

Additional heating 
Additional heating is to be avoided, as changes in relative humidity, (especially fast drying), can cause items made of natural materials such as wood or ivory to split and crack. Forced air systems are particularly damaging in this regard. 

Music and noise 
Carefully control the noise levels of PA systems, live bands and discos etc. Objects could be at risk if noise vibration levels are high. Ceramics and other objects have been known to vibrate and ‘travel’ off shelves. Amazingly, even a modest 70 Watt sound system can damage paintings in the same room.

Remember also that some alarm systems are sensitive to vibration, which in turn might trigger a false alarm.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that filming is a straightforward or peaceful money-making experience. A full film crew can run to thirty or more people (often over a hundred for a major feature film), and they necessarily bring with them a large amount of equipment. Therefore to facilitate filming, properties often need to be of a reasonable size (photographic projects are generally on a much smaller scale). 

Owners can register with a production company or a location finding agency – companies such as the www.locationpartnership.com which commonly take a 10% commission of the final fee. Many cities now have location advisers, as do some estate agents such as Knight Frank. 

As a basic rule, try to avoid the filming or photography of any individual item, painting or piece of furniture, as it might then become a target for thieves. A member of the household should be in attendance at all times. Any contents should be moved by – or at least under the supervision of – the household, and not by the film crew. Light, UV and the heat generated by lights should be checked regularly, primarily to prevent fragile items fading or drying unduly. 

The Historic Houses Association has produced a handbook, ‘Film & Photography for Historic Houses & Gardens’ by Norman Hudson, which also contains a specimen ’agreement for filming’ contract. See www.hha.org.uk

Realistically, the more distant you are from a film or television studio the less likely your property is to be considered as a location. Stills, photography shoots for fashion or general advertising are generally easier to monitor and control. Again, all photographic shoots should be supervised for their duration, and any contents should only be moved by the owner or property staff. 

Opening gardens to the public is a separate topic and has not been covered here.

The Yellow Book National Gardens Scheme opens for charity around 3,600 large and small gardens across England and Wales annually, welcoming over 500,000 visitors. Details about how to open your garden as part of the scheme can be found at www.ngs.org.uk

Before proceeding, owners should consider the increased risk of theft to any items of garden furniture such as sculpture, urns, sundials and stone benches. 

We hope that these notes are helpful to anyone considering opening a house to the public, whether it is a cottage or a castle. For further online advice and guidance, visit www.hha.org.uk

For more specific information, ‘The National Trust Manual of Housekeeping’ is an invaluable guide to the care and display of historic objects. English Heritage produces a booklet entitled, ‘Practical Conservation Guidelines for Successful Hospitality Events in Historic Houses’ which is especially useful in addressing commercial catering issues. If you know any other house-owners personally, it is well worth asking them about their own experiences. When starting out, all knowledge is good knowledge, as mistakes can be very costly!

For further details about specialist insurance, Contact Us