Middlesex Guildhall - STOP THIS FOLLY!

[Nemesis]

The proposed Supreme Court will see the destruction of one of the finest existing court interiors in the country - listed Grade II*.

No-one else would be allowed to do this - except the Government wishes it to happen, so...

Please buy the report, The Guildhall Testimonial, published today, write and object to what is happening...

Stunning pics and more info from the link on the SAVE site.

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org

 

[Craig]

Good report on this on Radio 4 this morning.

 

[Nemesis]

Yes - it was supposed to be on on Friday, then Saturday, by this morning I managed to sleep through... but it's on Listen Again, at just after 6.50

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/

 

[Nemesis]

Guardian Saturday:

Court scheme denounced as 'state vandalism'


The government's proposal to gut the Gothic revival interiors of the Middlesex Guildhall in favour of anodyne modern furnishings was denounced as "state vandalism" yesterday by the conservation group Save Britain's Heritage. The Guildhall, an imposing Grade II* listed building facing the the Palace of Westminster across Parliament Square, which opened in 1913 and now serves as a criminal court, is to house a new supreme court. Marcus Binney, Save's president, said the plan was at odds with the character of the building and the "worst example to all owners of listed buildings".
Maev Kennedy

 

[plumbers mate]

There was an item on the Today prog, on Radio 4, about this today.
However as it was on at about 5 to 7 (it was being broadcast when my radio alarm came on) I didn't really hear it and, I guess, a lot of other potentially interested people will have missed it too.

 

[Nemesis]

Well the link above enables you to listen to it... at just after eight minutes to seven, via Real Player.

 

[Nemesis]

A decent report - although it's II* not II.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6190179.stm

 

[Penners]

The Telegraph this morning.

 

[Nemesis]

Thanks! Coverage is growing...

 

[middi]

What worries me is that if this trend of " vandalism " is not checked at this level, every time a CO will try to enforce any preservation order on a listed building they run the risk of being told to p*ss off, and for a good reason.

 

[Nemesis]

Yes - not a good precedent to set, is it?

Here are some pics of the external sculptures by Fehr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steeev/100938769/in/photostream/

 

[Craig]

Hi Evelyn - some of those external models are quite interesting. Though some of them could do with a little less black eye make up and more clothing. Goths, eh!

 

[Penners]

Before Nemesis posted this thread, and I saw some press coverage, I confess that I had never heard of Middlesex Guildhall. But what a wonderful building, with a truly glorious interior.

How can anyone consider ripping all that out?

There was an item on the Radio 4 news this evening about graffitti artists vandalising tube trains. Frankly, I reckon that's a flea-bite compared with this proposal.

Disgraceful, shocking, unbelievable, scandalous..... add your own expletives.

 

[Nemesis]

A similar thing was done to the Treasury building I recall... if it's done by a well-known architect it's OK, you see?

Idiots all.

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/main.htm




Use the link - write and complain...

 

[Nemesis]

This is interesting... vote for a response!

http://www.newscounter.com/fullStory.jsp?id=804489

 

[Nemesis]

From Heritage Link today:

EDM on Middlesex Guildhall

Frank Field MP has put forward an Early Day Motion (607) to draw attention to proposals to strip out the magnificent interiors of the Grade 11* listed Middlesex Guildhall, in Parliament Square to make room for the new UK Supreme Court. A statement of importance by English Heritage in 2004 classed the three main Court interiors as 'unsurpassed by any other courtroom of the period in terms of the quality and completeness of their fittings'. The EDM reads:

'That this House expresses grave concern about the Government's proposals to destroy the outstanding Edwardian interior of Middlesex Guildhall in order to create a new meeting place for the UK's supreme court; believes that the most challenging task for any body or organisation serious about protecting the very best of the UK's heritage is to ensure the adaptation of existing buildings and furnishings to meet current needs with only the very minimum intervention of the building's historic fabric; recognises that the Middlesex Guildhall was restored and refurbished as recently as 1989; and calls on the Government either to house the supreme court in this building with minimum alterations or bow to the substantial body of informed opinion, both legal and architectural, that believes a new supreme court should be housed in a distinguished new building specifically commissioned for the purpose with the supreme court in the meantime operating in the accommodation used by the law lords.'

SAVE Britain's Heritage, leading the campaign to save the interiors, asks all to encourage their MPs to sign the EDM no 607. To check which MPs have or haven't done so see

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMList.aspx

Additionally, there is another EDM on the same issue:

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=32235&SESSION=885

 

[Craig]

Hi - if you want to write to your MP, try visiting http://www.writetothem.com and ask them to support this EDM. Its got a meagre 10 signatures at the moment.

 

[Nemesis]

This has a few more - however, this one was news to the SAVE office today!


EDM 571 MIDDLESEX GUILDHALL INTERIOR08.01.2007


Mackinlay, Andrew
That this House notes that the Government has been counselled by conservationists that its plans to transform the interior of the Grade II listed Middlesex Guildhall Building would be tantamount to `state vandalism'; draws attention to the building's wonderful stonework, oak roofs, tiling and stained glass as being outstanding examples of the gothic revival style which are now vulnerable to the plans drawn up by the Department for Constitutional Affairs; is dismayed that the building's existing interior is unacceptable to the Law Lords who requires a minimalist style for the home of their new Supreme Court; and urges the Government, the judges and others to pause and reflect on these plans which would not pass had they been proposed by any other public or private body.
Signatures( 16)
Standard Order Party Groups Alphabetical Order Party Totals
Status
Open signatures All signatures

Mackinlay, Andrew
Russell, Bob
Dismore, Andrew
Spink, Bob
Leech, John
Hopkins, Kelvin
Pope, Greg
Corbyn, Jeremy
Bottomley, Peter
Hoyle, Lindsay
Conway, Derek
Cryer, Ann
Hancock, Mike
Vis, Rudi
Rosindell, Andrew
Clapham, Michael

 

[Nemesis]

The latest:

Heritage? What heritage? Where is safe if this goes ahead?

Would you be allowed to do this in your II* Listed home?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6143744.stm


Follow the picture link...

Long term benefits to the building? Excuse me? What long term benefits are there? It will be ruined. and surely should lose its II* Listed status if this goes ahead.

 

[Nemesis]

Even made a Wiki entry now:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middlesex_Guildhall