Fears for Richmond gallery

5:03pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Concerns are emerging over the future of a Richmond gallery - rarely seen by the public and once home to paintings by “some of the greats” - as continued deterioration could leave it beyond saving.

Doughty House, at the top of Richmond Hill, has been placed on English Heritage’s Buildings at Risk register as a Grade II listed building in “poor” condition.

The Terrace resident, Max Forsythe, said when the house was owned by Sir Herbert Cook in the 1920s and his father before him it housed a considerable collection of paintings including works by Titian and El Greco.

He continued: “It is shameful that Richmond should have any buildings at risk let alone this beautiful.

“Surely the council should be acting to protect this building, they have the powers as it is listed, why do they not have the will?

“A few bad winters and the gallery will be beyond saving, a great loss for Richmond.”

He claims the window frames and facade are rotting and stressed the gallery and glazed roof were in “much worse condition”.

Mr Forsythe believes the house has now been owned by the same man for around 20 years, after he inherited it from his father, and is calling for steps to be taken to prevent ongoing deterioration.

If emergency measures were to be taken English Heritage could work alongside work alongside the council, with borough officials taking the lead.

A council spokesman said: “The council has a range of powers to prevent listed buildings from falling into disrepair.

“It can serve a Listed Building Enforcement Notice in respect of unauthorised works requiring the building to be put back to how it was originally, serve repair notices and in exceptional cases compulsorily purchase of a building.

“In the instance of Doughty House, we are working constructively with the owner to make sure that the fabric and character of the listed building is maintained and would only resort to the powers available when necessary.”

• What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.