Leicesters Bowstring Bridge Saga

I was interested to see that ongoing saga of Leicesters Bowstring Bridge, has finally made it into the national media.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=427&storycode=3153631&channel=783&c=2&encCode=0000000001a7fecf

Sadly it appears that Jonathan Glanceys article is an attempt to close the stable door after the horse has bolted, as when I drove past yesterday, the steelwork was all but gone.

Im not really enough of an expert to tell you how significant the loss of the bridge is. Ive seen similar bridges in other parts of the country, and couldnt tell you what would make a Victorian bridge particularly worthy of preservation. I guess thats why Ive not commented on the issue before. However, I do recognise that the Bowstring Bridge is an important Leicester landmark, and Im amazed that the Council are going to such trouble to get rid of it.

The more Ive read about this, the more ridiculous the situation appears. As I understand, the Council is spending just under £500,000 of its own money removing the bridge, before selling the land to De Montfort University for just £1. Apparently DMU have plans to build a new swimming pool on the site, but this is currently all we know, as they havent released any further information about it (no drawings, no plans, zip!). However, they have repeatedly said that it is vital that they have the Bridge land for the project to be feasible.

Considerable local opposition has been met by a very hard line from Leicester City Council , whos attitude seems to be were knocking it down and thats that.The wider story of this has been covered in pretty exhaustive detail by Leicester Mercury Editor, Keith Perch, on his blog. For those interested in the matter, Ive put the links in below:

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-may-be-policy-but-is-it-legal.html

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/mercury-issues-legal-challenge-to.html

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/predictable-reaction-to-calls-for-open.html

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/council-issues-thinly-veiled-threat-in.html

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/council-letter-filed-in-drawer-marked.html

http://kperch.blogspot.com/2009/08/dismissed-with-wave-of-hand.html

Personally, Im less interested in the aleged underhand actions of a local authority (although Im more than happy to open this up to a wider audience), than why they have chosen to treat an important feature of Leicesters heritage, as a problem. Someone must have pointed out that the bridge was a valuable heritage feature, but the decision was made to ignore this. I suspect this sort of treatment of heritage features happens every day, up and down the country, if perhaps not quite so blatantly.

Jonathan Glancy isnt the first person to suggest alternative uses for the bridge, but those who hold the power have been adamant theyre knocking it down. I would have liked to seen it developed as a linear park, similar to New Yorks, High Line, as I think the photo below hints at this potential.

I also think it would be wrong to finish this article without also mentioning the loss of the Pump and Tap, which is due to be demolished as part of this development. It may not be the finest Victorian building in England, but it is a good old-fashioned pub, of the sort that is fast disappearing from our cities. I suspect if it was a village pub being demolished there would be more sympathy (loss to the community etc), but people often forget that urban areas have communities that can be damaged by the loss of facilities too.

The whole thing is a sorry story, and everyone involved from Leicester City Council to De Montfort University, should be ashamed.

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