IN RESPONSE to those who posted comments about the proposed demolition of the Old Memorial Hospital, if you really want to save it for posterity, there is a great deal of work them to do, immediately. 

It had rear additions by VA Lawson 1912/13 spoiled by later work in 1931.

If this were to be removed leaving the earlier core of the footprint, a few more parking spaces could be created.

Lawson was Cirencester’s most prolific Arts & Crafts architect, eg. WH Smith, Bingham Hall, the former Bingham Library, and in Stroud the iconic six storey former clothing factory, Hill Paul, opposite the Station.

Four attempts were made to spot-list but English Heritage did not rate its Stonehouse Brick construction, Cotswold stone was the favoured material for listing. Its deterioration over fourteen years of neglect meant that Stroud District Council (SDC) approved demolition and redevelopment, a favourite ploy of councils, rather than conserve. 

After a talk to Stroud Civic Society by the then Conservation officer of CDC and former chairman of the Civic Society, Mike Hill, it was voted unanimously to try to save it.

Stroud is well known for its success in this field – the Tesco trees, the rooftop protest above the High Street shops, and the longest-running and hardest of all, Hill Paul. 

SDC were determined it must go, they wanted a cleared canal side site for redevelopment. 

Well, today Hill Paul stands proud over the town, converted into flats 2002/3, but the rest of the site still lies derelict. 

The wrecking ball was actually poised to smash it down, but a group of local residents were determined not to let this happen; we had to move fast, raise funds, lots of meetings and support from the media.

The lead from the roof had been stolen so the floors were rotting, vandals had tried to burn the flights of stairs.

It had a dangerous structure notice on it so the lower road to the station and car park had to be closed, but the demolition was stopped.

I was a director of the company we had to form to do a deal with the owner. 

Within a week or so we  had sold enough £500 shares to secure the deal with a year to find the rest, a total of £1.3 million. 

This is only a very brief précis, but given the will you can work miracless so I can be contacted if they need help. 

JENNY BAILEY
Cirencester