The historic environment, as our old buildings, townscapes and parks are now called, is analysed as a financial resource in an annual English Heritage report Heritage Counts 2004.  In the last 10 years the Heritage Lottery Fund has dispersed £3 billion, much of it to projects that aim not only to restore and preserve historic buildings, but also to engage the community and enhance local life.  £665 million has gone to London. 

We may have aesthetic, nostalgic or spiritual reasons for liking the historic features in our surroundings, but EH believes it has to put across a message to national and local government that the historic environment should be cherished because of benefits that can be expressed in financial terms, as shown by an increased in visitors, stimulus to regeneration or jobs created.  Even the social and economic benefits brought by Cathedrals have been evaluated. 

We know it’s a tough world out there but I for one would liked to have seen more emphasis on valuing our historic environment as a fundamental factor in shaping and defining British history and character. 

Heritage Counts 2004 may be downloaded from http://www.heritagecounts.org.uk  or obtained free from EH Customer Services 0870 3331181