Happy Weekend

[gfwgfw]

. . . . and MoB my Ferrets have a gert big bone to pick with you my dear friend

[xmaslisa]

Working nites the lot of it! :-0

[The Tinker]

Great to see you on here lisa - hope family life is treating you well

[Susan Watt]

Well that's the bank holiday over. We might actually be able to get somewhere and be able to park tomorrow

[CaroleF]

MOB - yes we are member of the NT and have been to Stourhead several times. On Christmas Eve we went to the Carol Service in the church at Stourhead which was magical. The church is appealing for funds as thieves stole the lead from the roof. The local Council insists the lead be replaced and will not allow more modern materials to be used as the church is a listed building - it's just so much money for the local people to try to raise but they are making a great effort to do this.

Carole

[Manoverboard]

" ... thieves stole the lead from the roof "

That is the pits, isn't it, but surely the Jobsworth at the Council can work out that the ' new ' lead will probably share a similar fate ... they really do seem to lack a brain at times.

Perhaps a small levy, albeit voluntary, on the entrance fee to the estate would help ?

[Quizzical Bob]

" ... thieves stole the lead from the roof "

That is the pits, isn't it, but surely the Jobsworth at the Council can work out that the ' new ' lead will probably share a similar fate ... they really do seem to lack a brain at times.

Perhaps a small levy, albeit voluntary, on the entrance fee to the estate would help ?

If it's a listed building then the same material must be used for the repairs.

[Manoverboard]

QB ...

Yes, I do understand that to be the case ' rules is rules ' but what possible difference does it make if an alternative material is used, albeit for very valid reasons, way out of sight up on the roof.

Many churches, after all, use a pretend version of lead.

The original lead, if there's any left in this instance, could be used within a display inside the Crurch to let the ' purists ' see what it was like at one time, but 99.99% will neither know nor care.

It is yet another case of Conservation Officers wasting other people's money for no reason other than to satisfy their own ideals ... imo.

[Quizzical Bob]

Indeed, MOB, in a lot of cases the older materials are not as effective as the newer alternatives.

[CaroleF]

We are talking about thousands of pounds extra that the church has to raise in order to meet the Council's rules. I know that it's a listed building but what is better - to have superior but cheaper materials or for the church to fail to raise the money necessary? It seems the rules are the rules!

Carole