Coventry Society Newsletter - April 2018

For our March meeting member, Professor Alastair Smith welcomed members to Warwick University for a talk about sustainability, a term often used by developers and politicians without evidence that their plans are really sustainable. Two of his students told us about their research in his department, exploring how a sustainable business must meet customer needs while, at the same time, treat the environment well. The evening proved to be a fascinating insight into some of the work being carried out at the university.

April 2018 For a time the Committee of the Coventry Society has appreciated that some long term planning is needed to assure the Society’s future.

To this end the committee put in motion a number of actions. The first of which was to hold a series of three strategy meetings to discuss how as a Society we can move forward. Three member workshops were held at the old C.E.T. building facilitated by Ian Harvey, Executive Director of Civic Voice. Positive proposals emerged from our discussions and these will be put to the wider membership at our A.G.M. on Monday, April 9. They are: To set up three sub groups: Heritage, Communications and Planning.

To set up a group of Coventry Society Volunteers who will be kept better informed about the work of the society and invited to assist with things that they are interested in.

To define the society's priorities for the coming year.

The second initiative was to ask the general membership about the current form and practices of the Society and ideas for possible changes. This took the form of a questionnaire covering all aspects of the Society’s organisation. We are grateful to those members who have already responded and despite the deadline originally given, would urge others to return completed questionnaires. The returns can be as brief or as detailed as you like. Already there is consensus emerging on some points but we understand that practical considerations mean that we may not be able to implement every individual suggestion.

However, the more returns we receive, the better we will be able to plan for the future. We will give a flavour of the responses we have so far at the A.G.M. as well as putting forward some suggestions for changing how we work.

Thirdly the Committee has been considering its own structure and how we can inject new blood into its make-up. These suggestions will also be put forward, possibly with a meeting later in the year to firm up any concrete proposals.

John Payne & Terry Kenny

At the end of March the Government announced Grade II listing for several city centre post-war buildings that include Marks and Spencer, the former Woolworths, British Home Stores, Locarno dance hall (now the Central Library), Leofric Hotel, and Upper Precinct including a decorative mast and foundation stone that marks the early days of redevelopment.

The new listed status of the Coventry buildings means an already approved multi-million pound scheme by developers Shearer Property Group, that would modify the Upper Precinct, will now need to achieve Listed Building Consent for any alterations to buildings. With campaign group the 20th Century Society we welcome the decision as a significant step in recognising the importance of Britain's post-war architecture.

We are regularly in touch with the City’s Conservation Officer, Chris Patrick on all issues that involve the heritage of the city. Before Easter we tried to reach him at his office but it appears that he is no longer in post.

A worrying situation when heritage is at the top of the agenda as we work towards Coventry City of Culture 2021

Monday, April 9 at 7.30pm Annual General Meeting Shopfront Theatre, City Arcade

Followed by a presentation by Les Neil On Coventry artist Herbert Edward Cox Member and guests only or join on the night Herbert was the fifth of seven children born to James and Sarah Cox. He attended the Grammar School, and after the death of his father in 1887, still living in the family home, he trained to paint at the Municipal School of Art in Coventry, becoming a designer and draughtsman.

Coventry City Council purchased 56 of Herbert's pen and ink drawings of Coventry scenes for £150 in 1926. A further collection of 72 watercolours of Coventry were purchased by Mr. David H. Cooke and presented to the City Council in 1930. The pictures now hang in the Council House in the gallery leading into the Council Chamber and are open for the public to see only on Heritage Open Days.

More news and views on our website: www.coventrysociety.org.uk

The Co e t So iet as ell ep ese ted at a atio al a e o ial e e t held at Co e t Cathed al i Ma h. The e e t as o ga ised ou u ella o ga isatio , Ci i Voi e, i pa t e ship ith the Wa Me o ials T ust, Histo i E gla d a d the I pe ial Wa Museu .

O e people f o a ou d the egio atte ded to o e o ate the fi al ea of the Wa Me o ial p og a e a d to sha e sto ies f o the p og a e. Ou Vi e Chai a , Paul Maddo ks, led isito s o a tou of the Cathed al a d ou Se eta , Joh Pa e, ga e a epo t o the Wa Me o ials P oje t i Co e t . We e e all put to sha e Co alie A heso , a stude t of Bi i gha U i e sit , ho has pe so all put fo a d a e o ials fo listi g!

The e e e iefi gs o ho to get a e o ials listed, a e i de of the e ai i g g a ts a aila le a d dis ussio a out the futu e of the p og a e afte the e te a of the Fi st Wo ld Wa fi ishes.

Vi e Chai a , Paul Maddo ks, ho led isito s o a tou of the Cathed al, speaki g to isito s

A othe gia t stude t lo k gets the g ee light despite o je tio s f o he itage e pe ts i ludi g Histo i E gla d.

Re- otifi atio had ee a ied out to o e a u atel des i e the to e s as a d sto e s Blo k A ha i g su se ue tl ee i eased t o floo s . The de elop e t is o the site of the Co e t Gi ls a d Bo s Clu a d the de elope has u de take to e uild this fa ilit fo f ee.

The site is e lose to the g ade I listed Whitef ia s o the othe side of the Ri g Road a d g ade II listed p ope ties i Gosfo d St eet, i ludi g the Whitef ia s pu .

Th ee o je to s spoke at the pla i g o ittee i ludi g o ittee e e Les Fa ett.

But the ote e t agai st us to . O e ou illo said he ould ha e oted agai st if it had ot ee fo the de elope uildi g e a o odatio fo the o s’ a d gi ls’ lu s.

Afte a ds Ro Gill of Gosfo d Books said: If ou a uild a d sto e to e s i su h p o i it to e a d fi e listed uildi gs, it sho s ou a uild a thi g, a he e i Co e t .

Me e s at the A ott’s La e site ith B ita ia T es i the dista e

The Co e t So iet e e pleased to e i ited to i spe t t o sets of pla s ei g put fo a d it ege e atio spe ialists Co ple De elop e t P oje ts Ltd. Ia Ha a i , the Chai a of the o pa , sho ed so iet e e s the pla s fo the eatio of a e hotel at the fo e Co e t E e i g Teleg aph offi es o Co po atio St eet.

The s he e i ludes the eatio of stude t a o odatio at the a k o de i g La St eet, hi h is e essa to ake the p oje t o k e o o i all .

The p oposed hotel ill e 's the ed a d ill i lude a tefa ts f o the o igi al uildi g. The e is also the hope of i ludi g a s all i e a i the de elop e t. Trinity Mirror Group e spape s ha e ag eed to allo i g the hotel to e a ed the Teleg aph Hotel. The So iet is pleased that the fi e s uildi g f o ti g o to Co po atio St eet ill e etai ed a d ot de olished as p e iousl p oposed.

The se o d set of pla s that e looked at e e fo the ede elop e t of the fo e Gas o ks site i A ott's La e.

These pla s a e at a ea lie stage of de elop e t ut a e e a itious. We e e pleased to hea that o al housi g is e isaged, athe tha stude t housi g. Ia is also looki g to li k the de elop e t ith Naul's Mill Pa k, eati g a alk a f o the pa k a d o e ge e all f o Radfo d ia the de elop e t a d u de the Ri g Road to the it e t e.

Ge e al Data P ote tio Regulatio s o e i to effe t o Ma a d e ui e a od ho olle ts data o othe pe so s to keep that data safe. The data ust e ade uate, ele a t a d li ited to hat is e essa a d it ust e a u ate a d kept up to date. It ust e sto ed o l as lo g as e essa a d kept ith se u it , o fide tialit a d i teg it .

Ea h o e of these e ui e e t des iptio s ould ha e a u e of i te p etatio s a d a tuall e su i g o fo a e is i tuall i possi le. All the So iet ishes to do is etai the a es a d add esses of its e e s to allo us to k o ho a e e s e ha e a d to o u i ate ith the . The data is kept o Postal address: o l o e o pute lo atio 77 Craven Street, Coventry ith safe a d p ote ted CV5 8DT Chairman’s tel: 024 7640 2030 a kup a d a ess ould Email: info@coventrysociety.org.uk e e diffi ult.

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CoventrySociety Colin Walker

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