The red carpet treatment at Rhug
One of the conundrums of shooting is how an invitation is going to be greeted by the memsahibs – or, indeed, whether or not they and the dog are invited, whether or not they want to be. The farther away from London and the Home Counties that the invitation is extended, the more acute the dilemma.
“All the drives are manageable, ignoring the fashion to present birds that are out of range”
No one can pretend that the Rhug estate in north Wales, the home and seat of Lord Newborough since 1637, is on the doorstep. Even when you have got to Oswestry, you still have to push on along the old A5 towards Holyhead, through Llangollen until you get to the Welsh-speaking town of Corwen. So, what Lord and Lady Newborough do, three times a year, is to have their friends as guns, with spouses and dogs invited to stay for the whole weekend, during which the Saturday provides a day of amiable sport.
The next conundrum is what, every comfort is laid on, from a visiting masseuse for the ladies to a trip to an amazing bistro and organic farm outlet and retail shop like a mini House of Bruar, at the foot of the estate drive. It is an invitation that the Newboroughs’ friends look forward to and treasure, and some of them have been coming for more than 40 years.
