The Building Conservation Directory 2022

118 T H E B U I L D I N G CO N S E R VAT I O N D I R E C TO R Y 2 0 2 2 C AT H E D R A L COMMU N I C AT I ON S High profile cases draw attention to the importance of saving historic turret clocks, such as one at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield (illustrated) which was converted to offices and commercial use, and Sugar House which was converted to apartments. What makes conservation work an asset instead of a cost will be the quality of workmanship it reveals, delighting the casual viewer and bringing a sense of quality and desirability to the project. Standards in clock conservation are influenced by the various organisations who fund the work. These include grant-aiding bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, building preservation bodies, central and local government and even developers. Many clocks require funding separate from the main building works, and some charities such as Heritage of London Trust offer grants for the conservation of particular features that would not otherwise be conserved. While commercial developers might not at first sight be obvious funders, their planning consent can be tied by the local authority to the restoration and repair of particular features either as a condition of consent or through a formal planning obligation. Known as section 75 agreements in Scotland and section 106 agreements in England and Wales, these obligations can require the developer to pay for the initial upfront costs of restoration, and lay the foundations for efficient future maintenance. Local authorities have to fund the conservation of those buildings in their care which are listed, and as turret clocks have a social and public use, public funds may be used to provide conservation of a high standard. COMPLIANCE AND SELF-REGULATION The lack of traditional apprenticeships has led to a lowering of standards. Typically, these would have been five to seven years and would usually have been followed by 10 years of journeyman experience. Strict rules would have been instilled from the start, and compliance with them would have been second nature to a time-served apprentice. Over this period the apprentice deals with several hundred clocks with all their differences, and there is no substitute for this level of experience. However, it costs about £80,000 to carry an apprentice at a living wage for a minimum of five years, and Thwaites & Reed is now the only company still offering a traditional five-year apprenticeship programme. The British Horological Institute offers distance learning courses only, and the clock world is now mainly staffed by repairers for whom the current academic and short courses are attractive. Some owners use sub-contractors from the building trade but this is not generally an appropriate alternative as the building industry operates to very different criteria. In particular, clockmakers expect their work to last beyond their own lifetime and provide maintenance for longevity. A clock tower on the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield (built 1854–58): conservation work was enabled by the conversion of the building for office and commercial use. A very large three train gravity mechanism from the late 19th century constructed in 1887 in the Sugar House, a former factory which is now residential.