Well, I have to weigh in here, if only because my daughter is a lawyer
specializing in preservation rights issues. First of all, the original
message states clearly that Morgans are no longer in this building, I
think.
Whether or not the original building should be preserved is a question
in part of values. Does the local community value the location enough to
reimburse the current owner for his/her loss if demolition is not
permitted? If it isn't deemed a local treasure, are there enough
constituents nationally (and, I suppose, internationally) to force the
local government to pay the current owner for his loss.
If there isn't, not much else can be done. My daughter tells me about
'demolition by neglect', which all car owners are familiar with at one
point in time or another. Here, if the current owner cannot be
compensated adequately to preserve the building, he or she likely cannot
be compelled to put a new roof on when needed, to point up the brick
work as necessary. In other words, the building will either be torn down
or it will eventually fall down or, accidentally, burn down.
I, personally, would be willing to pay a quid or two to see the old
building, even though I can see the Morgan factory for free, and would
likely stop for lunch in Malvern after or before doing so. As it happens
now, when I've gone there in the past, I don't even go into Malvern but
take a bypass straight to Pickersleigh Road, and haven't spent any time
in Malvern, or money either (except at the factory) . I don't know if my
two pounds worth, taken as part of the aggregate, would be enough to
change the use of that building.
>From an aesthetic point of view, I'd only note that Britian's charming
architecture, if you leave out the Lloyds building and the new Ferris
wheel by the Thames, both in London, is mostly very old stuff. Most post
war construction, it seems to me, is pretty awful. Could restoring this
little building to its original form be anything other than a plus for
downtown Malvern????
Chip Brown
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