Branch AGM & Tour 15th September 2005

Twenty-five members joined us for a very wet but greatly enlightening tour of Leicester entitled ‘Identity lost or the hole in the doughnut’. The tour focused on the Roman and Medieval heart of Leicester – an area containing the highest standing Roman structure in an urban setting, 6 Grade I, 9 Grade II*, and many Grade II buildings, as well as 2 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, and conservation areas.

The area has lost its identity: there is very little opportunity for people to understand and engage with in the area. It is severed and fragmented by the 1960’s road system. There is a strong sense of neglect and de-valuing, with 2 buildings on the national Buildings at Risk Register, and several on the local version. All around the regeneration of the city is gathering pace.

The tour was excellently planned and guided by EH Leicester Project Officer Steve Bowyer.

After our walk about the members retired to the dry haven of Leicester City Council’s Offices where the AGM was held. The branch committee were elected, the accounts approved and all the usual fascinating work of an AGM took place. The two things to set this one apart were the discussion on the recent branch questionnaire and the appearance of Director Sean O’Reilly who described his career to date (or how we had ended up with him) and his current work with the IHBC.