Carriage driver fights for Windsor Castle spot after council ban

Tourists that were hoping to see the Queen will no longer be able to go on horse-drawn carriage after a council’s plans to pedestrianise a road next to Windsor Castle.

Peter Langthorne, 68, has been driving Windsor residents and tourists on half-an-hour trips in the town from his rank at the top of Castle Hill for seven years.

However, council plans to pedestrianise Castle Hill in early 2022 has meant Windsor Town Horse Drawn Carriages has come under threat of closure.

Windsor and Maidenhead Council passed a proposal for a permanent manned barrier that will only allow authorised vehicles to access the road between 9:30am and 4:30pm, which would not include Mr Langthorne’s carriage.

The veteran said he was never "consulted" about the plans to block Castle Hill, and by the time he found out and contested the decision they had "made their minds up to do this".

If he lost access to the particular stretch next to Windsor Castle, Mr Langthorne said he would be forced to "sell the horses and finish", especially since there is another carriage operator with a monopoly over using the scenic Long Walk.

He told The Telegraph: "There’s no way I can keep all four horses and pay rent for where they stay just for pleasure, I can’t do it."

The pensioner insists there is "no reason" why the council can’t provide him with authorisation to access the area, and that council members have repeatedly denied his requests to meet, even an invitation to ride in his carriage.

He added: "It’s not a mega-money deal, it’s my pleasure, and I can’t see a reason why they couldn’t give me permission to go in for two to three hours a day."

The council’s suggested replacement for his top spot on Castle Hill "just doesn’t have the footfall," according to Mr Langthorne. He said: "I know I won’t have a cat in hell’s chance of surviving".

"People come out of the castle and they see me in my bowler hat and waistcoat and sometimes they even think I am waiting for royalty. Then they ask if they can book you - I have to rely totally on footfall for the work," he said.

Mr Langthorne keeps four horses for the carriage, Arab-Welsh crosses Vic and Silver and Connemaras Ronnie and Reggie.

He calls them all "family" and said that letting them go "would break my heart".

"It’s like having a pet, if you’ve got a cat or a dog and that happens, well you would know what it’s like to say goodbye and that’s something I’m really not looking forward to," he told The Telegraph.

Mr Langthorne has launched a petition to keep his spot on Castle Hill on Change.org, which has so far attracted more than 700 signatures.

A council spokesperson said that although there is no start date for the Castle Hill works to commence, they anticipate that it will be "before the beginning of 2022".

The spokesperson added that the pedestrianisation of Castle Hill is "aimed at improving the overall experience and safety of residents and visitors in Windsor", adding that a "comprehensive consultation" with local businesses was carried out.