Letter: Concern for the future of Cannon Mill

The cost could escalate to the point at which nothing can actually be done. All that is needed is some practical repair by a competent local builder and not a lot of expensive experts from the Architects Registration Council and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation.

I favour a limited amount of work on the basis of 'Lanscape Object' or External Envelope'. Funds are very scarce because local councils cannot put the Council Tax up by very much.

It is important that the Cannon Mill Trust does not become 'the owner' of the building. They would then be obliged by law to maintain the building in the manner to which the authorities feel it ought to be accustomed, regardless of expense.

There is a useful book called Stopping the Rot available as a free download from Historic England's website.

The few people interested in this topic are all obsessed with what I call The Cult of Adaptive Reuse, at other people's expense. Hopefully, Robinson's are still big enough to shoulder this burden, if it is kept to a reasonable level.

Paul Gibbons, Alfreton

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