Residents living in an iconic Derbyshire building can now sit and enjoy some of the county’s finest views after it was kitted out with recycled plastic outdoor furniture made just down the road.
The community of residents living in the majestic Riber Castle near Matlock are being brought together to enjoy their outside spaces thanks to investment in furniture made by award-winning sustainable company TDP based a few miles away in Wirksworth.
The castle, which commands the skyline for miles around and enjoys stunning views, has enjoyed a new lease of life within the last decade after being transformed into residential flats.
Famously built by John Smedley in the 19th century, the mock Gothic building has over its history been a private residence, boarding school, film location and zoo.
Having been derelict for a while it has been revived as residential flats and managers have made the most of the outdoor areas by installing picnic tables, seating, benches and planters made by TDP using waste material derived from plastic bottles.
Riber Castle manager Robert Wright said: “The furniture is all around Riber Castle. We have benches and tables at the front of the castle, a seating area at the entrance, and picnic tables and benches in the castle garden.
“Here at Riber, we really love working with such a local company. The furniture gets lots of use and brings the community together. We like that it’s so durable and that we don’t have to maintain it.”
Family firm TDP makes a wide range of outdoor furniture using recycled plastic profiles at its manufacturing base.
Over its years of operation it has prevented 6,000 tonnes of plastic from entering landfill, waterways and oceans through re-making it into furniture which unlike wood needs no maintenance and does not rot.
Through investing in furniture from TDP, Riber Castle’s management team has saved thousands of plastic bottles from entering the environment.
The nine ‘Wheatcroft’ benches installed at Riber alone have used the equivalent of nearly 30,000 plastic bottles – saving the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere as would be emitted from an average UK home over the course of nine months.
TDP founder and managing director Rob Barlow said: “We are delighted that so much of our furniture is now gracing the outside spaces at Riber Castle, allowing residents to sit and enjoy what must surely be some of the finest views in Derbyshire. We are very proud that our benches, chairs and picnic tables are now in the gardens of such a famous Derbyshire castle and could not be more pleased that managers have chosen such a sustainable option when choosing their furniture.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of TDP by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
