As part of celebrations commemorating 25 years of Bath achieving World Heritage Status, the Council is holding a series of free talks from other prominent heritage sites.
The Monday lunchtime talks will be held on 22 and 29 October and 5 November, from 1.10pm to 1.45pm, in the Council Chamber at the Guildhall, Bath.
Specialist speakers from Ironbridge, Liverpool and Dorset will share their experiences of managing World Heritage Status in relation to their own geographical gems.
Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “Following our successful series of talks held earlier this year to commemorate Bath’s 25 years as the only entire UK city to achieve World Heritage Status, we are delighted to welcome speakers from three other sites to give free lunchtime talks about their areas.
“We hope our residents and visitors will appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the World Heritage process, as well as enjoying the delights that a World Heritage Site such as Bath continues to offer.
“Bath is one of only 28 UK World Heritage Sites, and they present a diverse mix of special places each with very different characters and challenges. It is important for Bath & North East Somerset Council to learn from other areas, as close ties with other World Heritage Sites help us to share best practice in managing these irreplaceable historic areas.”
On 22nd October, Anna Brennand, Deputy Director of Ironbridge, will talk about the Ironbridge Gorge Trust and the birthplace of the industrial revolution. Alongside conservation of the bridge itself, Ironbridge has made great strides in interpreting all the associated industrial structures and practices of a lost industry.
On 29th October, John Hinchcliffe, of Liverpool City Council, will deliver the talk “What is so special about Liverpool?” Mr Hinchcliffe has extensive experience of Liverpool’s World Heritage Site which bears witness to the development of one of the world’s major trading centres in the 18th and 19th centuries. Liverpool is currently embroiled in on-going debate with UNESCO regarding proposals for tall buildings.
In the talk ‘Jurassic Coast: Olympics and Landslips’ on 5 November, Dr Sam Rose, of Dorset County Council, will discussthe Jurassic Coast in Dorset and East Devon and how it provides an almost continuous sequence of rock formations spanning some 185 million years of the earth’s history. Management challenges this year have included the Olympic sailing competitions and a major landslip.
All talks are in the Guildhall Council Chamber, on High Street, Bath, from 1.10pm to 1.45pm (22nd & 29th October and 5th November). No booking is required.
