Campaigners fighting to save Perth City Hall from demolition have gained a surprising ally from across the Atlantic.
American politician Steven W. Lindsey, a member of the New Hampshire State House of Representatives, has been following the saga on this website and has posted various comments on the proposals to demolish the building to replace it with a civic square.
Warning Perth that it will “rue the day this edifice falls”, he added: ”Can be saved?, should be saved! … B-listed building? Must be nice to live in a country that has so much beautiful architecture that one can take it for granted, (to) raze it for a pocket park.”
When contacted by The Courier Mr Lindsey described himself as a ”passionate historic preservationist” who monitors news reports from around the world about old buildings which are under threat.
”A few (reports) I find truly offending such as the Perth City Hall,” he said. ”As you are well aware, there are universal concepts of beauty, this building meets them. So to destroy it for a trash-blown open space is beyond me.
”So I lend my voice wherever I see the need. To give aid and comfort, symbolically, to those preservationists struggling against greater odds. To rally and assist, to let them know the world is watching or at least me from my small state.”
The decision by councillors to push ahead with plans to demolish the building to make way for a square has outraged many and a campaign is under way to persuade Historic Scotland which will make a recommendation to Scottish ministers that this would not be an appropriate course of action.
Influential conservation groups SAVE Britain’s Heritage and the Scottish Civic Trust have added their voices to the campaign to save Perth City Hall.
Widely regarded as Britain’s leading heritage conservation organisation, SAVE is calling on the Scottish Government to hold a public inquiry into the proposed demolition of the hall.
Objectors have rejected an argument for demolition advanced by some councillors that the city hall blocks the view of the A-listed St John’s Kirk and would never get permission to be built today.
Jim Stewart of Scone said he had accessed old maps through the archives at the AK Bell Library in Perth which showed that other structures prior to the construction of Perth City Hall blocked the view in question.