Historic Coventry Trust

For those who are not aware of it, here is a link to their website.

Ian Harrabin, who chairs the Historic Coventry Trust and helped rescue the city's medieval Charterhouse, has been appointed MBE for services to heritage and regeneration in Coventry

Should we be nervous at all that he is a private construction developer? Or am I reading too much into that?

No Neil, I don't think you are reading too much into it at all. Surely it is a conflict of interest. Frances

I do concur with your concerns, it can be perceived there is maybe a conflict of interest. However, on the other side of the coin it has to be asked, has anybody stepped forward in the past to guide the regeneration of the areas his group are involved in? Yes, he obviously has specialist knowledge and also I guess access to funds that others have not, which is a positive. The Trust is a charity and as such has to comply with stringent regulations, with checks and balances. Furthermore, I believe charities are required to be transparent, their accounts being available on line. Just my thoughts.

Another thought. Just a further comment. A few years ago, I was involved with a charity that had a similar arrangement with a developer and whilst I cannot recall the full details of the involvement, the charity had to demonstrate that such arrangements were fully above board and the most viable vehicle to carry projects forward.

Yes I've just been looking at their accounts, Billybobs. If anyone's interested: Companies House. Don't get me wrong, I sincerely hope this is something good but that does not look a lot of money to me to support a series of extensive historic properties.

I suspect that a lot of the money so far is from the Lottery Fund. They often don't release a massive lump sum, they give money for specific targets. At the moment I get the impression that the city is still planning for the City of Culture events and how they will incorporate the buildings into the whole. Money may come from that source as well as the Lottery Fund. I'd hope that they use the buildings for displays and events that get the buildings back into the fabric of the city. They need to be open on a more regular basis than three days a year for the Heritage Open Days, if then. There's a couple of presentations at the Coventry Society in Feb about plans, so the Trust may be mentioned there. Perhaps we ought to have a wish list of what we'd like to see in 2021?

For those not local interested in stopping somewhere unusual with a Historic Cov connection - https://www.historiccoventrytrust.org.uk/stay-with-us/

Wow! What a wonderful Idea. We sometimes stay with my brother when we come to Cov. but he lives in a small house in Kenilworth so one of these would be great. Hope that their booking system gets better and also, your wrist Helen F.

The price of the gatehouses has bobbed about, getting to £185 a night at one point, however they're a reasonable £85 for the Cook Street gate and £95 for the Swanswell gate. Steep for an ordinary hotel or self catering room but these are unusual properties.