Melton Mowbray Town Estate

Priors Close, the landscaped parkland, was officially handed over on Saturday 5th October 1985 by Mrs Audrey Mars, wife of the founder of Pedigree Petfoods, Forrest Mars, – “For the enjoyment of the people of Melton Mowbray and to mark the 50th year of Pedigree Petfoods”. This beautiful park, created on the derelict allotments and extending on to Borough Council land on the west bank, was presented to the Mayor Cllr Derek Sanders and the Senior Townwarden Mr John Southerington. It was indeed an historic occasion, as it was the first time in 437 years that such a considerable piece of land had been handed over to the Town Estate for safekeeping. A truly generous gesture by Pedigree Petfoods, in creating this beautiful park and gardens, to commemorate their 50th anniversary, the landscaping and the splendid way it was linked into the Play Close by making a feature of the ‘old canal’, thereby enlarging the existing parkland in the town.