Does anyone in Neath really care?
Read this and form your own opinion
Does anyone in Neath really care about our heritage and what exists in buildings about to be demolished?
It took a steelworker at the Margam steelworks, Jason Reynolds (right), to take matters into his own hands to save the treasured stained glass windows from the Neath Empire Cinema now held in safe keeping at Swansea University until a suitable location is found in the town where they came from. Now a memorable lighting pillar has been stolen - an item that Jason Reynolds asked the developers to save.
It is a fact, developers and demolition firms could not care less - and why should they? Their priority is to clear a site and put everything in a bin - as far as they are concerned, the quicker the job is done, the better.
Surely there should be some body, or authority, to document and record these treasures and make sure that they are carefully removed and stored to benefit future generations?
Other buildings containing treasures of the past are being demolished in NPT and no-one seems to care. Where are our councillors to allow this? Are they bound by party politics and are afraid to speak out? Is it because of this attitude that Neath is going down the pan?
These are the questions - who is going to stand up and give some answers?
An effort has been made by at least two residents who have made a start with a new website - but this is no good unless our councillors and our local authority start to take an interest - and NOW before its too late.
FOOTNOTE It is a fact that a photographic survey was a condition attached to the planning consent for the Empire building - and this was done - but AFTER the windows were removed. This proves the point we are making - the surveys are not done as they should be - and certainly not by anyone locally who cares for the heritage of Neath.
