Notes
'Heritage' is a suspect word, uncertain and sentimental in meaning. It is a lit-
tle worrying that the new Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England launched this week — is to have a society of Members called 'English Heritage', com- plete with the obligatory logo. The new Commission supersedes the former Historic Buildings Council and Ancient Monuments Board, and as well as looking after some 400 monuments will give grants for restora- tion and repair and advise the Government on the listing of historic buildings. That the new Commission is designed to push con- servation in new directions was made clear by the Chairman, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, who looked forward to visits to monuments becoming 'a more lively, Stimulating and memorable experience', with 'interpretation centres' and events held in conjunction with the English Tourist Board, A visit to Stonehenge, we presume, will become as exciting as one to, say, L_°ngleat, Woburn or, for that matter, ?ieaulieu. We must tolerate a little vulgarity if buildings are to be preserved, but there is a, worrying exclusiveness about this idea of
heritage', an idea which regards country
houses or ruins as isolated monuments and not as part of a legacy of building which in- cludes ordinary houses and utilitarian struc- .tures. Soon there may only be 'heritage' left, for while the Government is launching the new Commission with much fanfare, it is also proposing to introduce a measure Which may well destroy thousands of historic buildings, whether listed or other- wise. This is the proposal to charge VAT on alterations as well as repairs but not on new building. This makes the decision to repair rather than rebuild a heavily weighted one. Already,
since the Budget, all restoration
work in Derbyshire has come to a halt and the future of many redundant churches is Put in jeopardy. If the Government really cares about our `heritage' it should impose VAT on all building work, or on none.
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