M A RAE, chairman, Friends of Teignmouth Orangery, writes:
I would like to respond to the understandable concerns expressed by Mr Lewis (Letters, November 14) about the costs involved in the renovation and repair of the Teignmouth Orangery.
So as not to make too long a letter, I would make the following points:
1 The Orangery is an 1842 building that 'belongs' to Bitton House and so is a part of Teignmouth's architectural heritage.
2 It is owned by Teignbridge Council which has the responsibility for its maintenance.
3 It is a Grade II listed building. The council keep the list of graded buildings within its are and is under statutory duty to ensure the proper car and maintenance of these buildings – whoever owns them.
4 The council has been urged by the friends for the last 12 years or so to provide some planned renovation and repair to the fabric, to no avail. The inevitable result has been the decay apparent now, and the much increased cost of any remedial work. These costs are inevitably increased by the Orangery's Grade II listed status.
5 The Orangery is run and stewarded by volunteer friends. It is heated (very necessary in winter), 'gardened' and planted with some 65 tropical plants for the benefit of Teignmouth and its visitors. All this is done at no cost to anyone else but this society. We are happy to do so.
6 Few towns can afford to lose part of their historic and architectural past.
We, and previous Orangery committees, have been trying for a long time to persuade Teignbridge Council to spend a little money each year to forestall the crisis which has now come about.
I hope this goes some way to allay Mr Lewis' concerns.