Let’s not lose more heritage

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 21st Jan 2006.

I NOTE that your report of January 12 suggests all aspects are positive with regards to the replacement of the Wyvern and Swindon Council Civic Offices.

As part of this plan I understand that the old Euclid Street offices will be bulldozed. The Euclid Street offices are the only decent example of 1930s architecture in Swindon and have many external and internal features that have merit.

Gavin Jones, second in command of Swindon Council, stated in October 2005 on BBC Radio 4 that he thought that "public consultation only gets in the way of progress".

Well, that may be, but some of us like to see a civic building on a human scale, rather than a monolith slab plonked down among us.

In a few years' time Sir Mike Pitt and Gavin Jones will be safely away from Swindon in their comfortable retirement homes.

We will, however, be living with the consequences of their decisions.

Swindon has a history of losing buildings such as The Temple, The Lawns, the Mechanic's Institute, and the Robert Daniel. Swindon has a soul let's do our best to preserve it!

N Fisher.

Stratton St Margaret, Swindon

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