thesweetcheat
|
Re: Developments at Avebury
Feb 17, 2011, 20:39
|
|
nigelswift wrote: I think it's worth reflecting just how skint heritage bodies have suddenly become. The cake won't stretch and it's no good us lot of all people saying we don't want to pay a few quid.
True enough and I have very unpleasant feelings towards the shower that are currently "running" the country. I sympathise with the difficulties the heritage bodies face (e.g. EH), but NT are somewhat outside of that and in my opinion have always been keen to overcharge.
You are right that we "of all people" should perhaps be the most willing to pay, but if I'm honest it would put me off going, in favour of going somewhere else. As I said about Stonehenge in another thread, it all starts to eat into the experience and I don't want to visit Avebury and be disappointed by it. The place being spruced up, organised, manicured, gift-shopped and over-santised won't get my vote to be honest. I would rather see any money being spent on conserving the henge banks and stones, rather than on the "periphery".
nigelswift wrote: We've had two people come to Megameets from America twice, we're very lucky to have it in our country.
There is no doubt, we are lucky to have it. But we're lucky to have a lot of other sites too, some of which are viewed very highly by TMAers but never have a penny spent on them. Stonehenge serves a purpose in drawing the crowds away, but I'm not sure I want Avebury to become a similar magnet, which a more manicured approach might well bring.
|
nigelswift
|
Re: Developments at Avebury
Feb 17, 2011, 21:01
|
Maybe it would be better, in the case of Avebury certainly, if NT committed X% of voluntary takings and indeed cafe and shop takings, to specific named projects in Avebury?
Avebury as a cash cow for the rest of NTs budget doesn't appeal.
|
thesweetcheat
|
Re: Developments at Avebury
Feb 17, 2011, 21:09
|
|
nigelswift wrote: Maybe it would be better, in the case of Avebury certainly, if NT committed X% of voluntary takings and indeed cafe and shop takings, to specific named projects in Avebury?
Avebury as a cash cow for the rest of NTs budget doesn't appeal.
Yes, that's a sound idea. And even more so if the remainder were to be spent on other sites of similar (pre-)historic interest, rather than on NT's stately home portfolio.
I do hope that the Big Society government don't start messing about with EH's managed properties. Less likely perhaps, as EH don't actually own most of their sites, unlike NT/Forestry Commission. But as an agency EH're being squeezed and no doubt we will all be asked to step in and manage EH sites on a "voluntary" basis before long...
|
Littlestone
|
The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 13:51
|
Possibly the worst kind of development, at least in modern times, here.
Note how close the north-east bank is :-(
|
Sanctuary
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 14:04
|
|
Littlestone wrote: Possibly the worst kind of development, at least in modern times, here.
Note how close the north-east bank is :-(
I'm sorry to say LS that it really just shows that aside from people such as ourselves and the bodies that objected to the development, the local authority planners don't care a stuff.
|
Littlestone
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 15:30
|
Aye.
There’s something else about the houses that’s wrong (other than being on the effing doorstep of the north-east quadrant) but the penny’s only just dropped – the houses employ a clapboard façade! Up in this neck of the woods (Essex) clapboard buildings, old and new, are all over the place but it’s hardly characteristic of Avebury.
Jeeze... :-(
|
tjj
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 15:50
|
|
Littlestone wrote: Aye.
There’s something else about the houses that’s wrong (other than being on the effing doorstep of the north-east quadrant) but the penny’s only just dropped – the houses employ a clapboard façade! Up in this neck of the woods (Essex) clapboard buildings, old and new, are all over the place but it’s hardly characteristic of Avebury.
Jeeze... :-(
For me to make any comment on this particular issue is tantamount to rushing in where angels fear to tread simply because in the past I expressed a certain amount of ambivalence about it. However, in the interest of looking at all sides of the debate I would like to point out that the issue of opening up the view to the north east approach of the henge was not relevant when the development was first known about, as we did not know that the trees that then obscured the view were deseased and would later be felled. The main issue was that the houses could be seen from the henge - especially in winter when the barrier of the copse/plantation was without leaf. Surely this is the reason clapboard has been used on the particular houses that act as a screen to the henge, that they might blend in better with the landscape.
I'm not defending the development; wouldn't want to live there even if the unlikely opportunity to do so arose. Lets just hope the people who do buy those properties (and again its worth remembering they are only five in number) care about Avebury and work towards strengthening the exisiting community.
Having said the above, I do agree in retrospect it was a lost opportunity on behalf of the National Trust to enhance the amenities at Avebury.
|
goffik
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 16:25
|
Mmm... Clapboard...
Is that the indiginous wood in Wiltshire? :D
G x
|
goffik
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 16:25
|
Mmm... Clapboard...
Is that the indiginous wood in Wiltshire? :D
G x
|
Littlestone
|
Re: The worst kind
Feb 18, 2011, 16:31
|
|
goffik wrote: Mmm... Clapboard...
Is that the indiginous wood in Wiltshire? :D
G x
For a moment there Goff I read 'Claptrap'.
|
