good referb!

[Anonymous]

look, if I haven't annoyed at least three people before breakfast, I'm not doing my job.
It's the look of pleasure on the faces of the other ten people who I've saved a shed load of money, *and* got what they wanted, by lunchtime, that makes the job worth while.

 

[Anonymous]

The vickarage development makes a complete mockery of the system. What on Earth is the point in identifying buildings for protection when the local authority then allows destruction of so much historic fabric.

In any case it fails me why anybody would want to buy an historic property and then turn it into a barrett house, although I would bet money that the dreadful woman will be spouting to her dreadful visitors how she 'restored' the building back to its former glory. Why is it so often the case that people with excess money have no class to go with it.

 

[Anonymous]

Can I raise again the topic of Jackson's Ironmongers' Shop (listed grade II) and in the heart of the Market Square in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, in a Conservation Area with the Grade I Listed 13th church directly behind... I've posted about it in the past, and Biff was kind enough to post pictures for me.

The owners have got away scot free - the local authority (Tynedale District Council) decided it wasn't in the public interest to prosecute.

As the next SAVE newsletter will say, delisting is expected next time there is a review. That will mean the forge behind, dating back I think poss to the 17th c with 18th c additions, would lose its listed by curtilage status.

The people who so 'improved' the shop (an inspoilt early 19th c gem) are busy playing with the forge now. Gawd help us. It's now a twee tea and gifte shoppe, with hanging baskets.

It took me to muster the combined might of SPAB, the Geo group, SAVE, the local history soc etc to even get the local authority to mosey along in a few days to see what was going on when the place was gutted and the entire front elevation replaced with breezeblock and a stone facade. Had the 'stop' order been put on when I first alerted them some of the rear elevation may have been saved.

It's a mockery. It's one I think I may raise with the Secretary of State - I only finally managed to get the paperwork from the local authority under the Freedom of Information Act. I can but try...

At least Lady F had the relevant consents presumably.