The Theatres Trust first became involved just before Christmas 1997 when an application for conservation area consent for demolition of quite a large area was referred to us by the Borough Council. Like many seaside towns which have seen more prosperous days, Scarborough is very well provided with theatres (including most famously the Stephen Joseph Theatre run by Alan Ayckbourn). it seemed unrealistic to hope for a live performance use for the building, although we felt it was an important part of the cultural heritage of the town and could have made an attractive pub/club. This could have
helped to give a valuable identity and focus to the wider redevelopment proposed, all very in tune with current Urban Task Force recommendations.

Local interest and a swift response from English Heritage listing department meant that despite the current application the building was spot listed in February this year (1999). However, the English Heritage regional team continued not to oppose demolition and the council was strongly in favour of the redevelopment scheme. Eventually opponents of the proposals, including the Theatres Trust, had to admit defeat, but we were of course very keen to ensure that this recently rediscovered building should be properly recorded.

Initially all seemed well on this front: the council offered to impose a condition requiring that "a full and comprehensive survey in accordance with an agreed programme shall be made by a suitably qualified person, firm or body". Because the Trust felt that this was a specialised building type, and because we wanted to have a safeguard, we suggested as that an extra clause should require that the recording work should be to the satisfaction of the Theatres Trust. This amendment was not accepted by the local authority, nor on referral, by the Government Regional Office, leaving the local authority as sole judge of what constituted "a full and comprehensive survey".

At this point things seem to have gone seriously wrong. As far as we can tell, no onus was put on the developer to provide funding for a survey, nor was it suggested to them that it was their responsibility. RCHME emergency recording team, contacted by the Theatres Trust, managed to take a set of 24 photographs, but lacked the resources to mount an investigation. Despite protests from the Theatres Trust, the council decided that the photographs satisfied the condition.

Of particular concern to the Trust was the fact that no one with any specialist knowledge of Music Halls had been able to see inside the building. Even the listing decision had been made on the basis of amateur photographs, without a special visit. Our offers to attend site visits had not been taken up.

Eventually Theatres Trust Director Peter Longman, and a specialist consultant paid for by the Trust, were allowed to make an inspection in June. However, at the last minute the owners of the building made this conditional upon signing a written statement that the trust "keep the results of this additional inspection confidential until such time as the proposed development is completed".

I am therefore not allowed to tell you what we found, or describe the budding to you in any detail, which makes for a very dry article, but it is a useful cautionary tale.

The recording of listed buildings under the statutory control systems lags far behind what is regularly secured for archaeological sites. Unless conditions can refer to an agreed set of standards, and until local authorities take a responsible attitude in ensuring that they are properly discharged, more information on interesting buildings will continue to be lost for ever.