The Building Conservation Directory 2023

8 T H E B U I L D I N G C O N S E R VAT I O N D I R E C T O R Y 2 0 2 3 | C E L E B R AT I N G 3 0 Y E A R S C AT H E D R A L C O MM U N I C AT I O N S business, Jonathan and Lisa set about creating a list of specialist suppliers who were potential advertisers. ‘We were very careful about who we allowed onto the list, says Jonathan. That meant no cowboy contractors or ‘period style’ products.’ If advertisers were perhaps a little wary of the new venture, the first edition of The Building Conservation Directory was fortunate to be supported by 20 of the UK’s leading conservation specialists who contributed technical articles, and by two highly-skilled young typesetters and graphic designers, Helen Sawyer and David Dupont of xendo, who are still working with us today. The first edition was well received by the sector, although the full scope of its success did not become apparent until the following autumn when Jonathan and Gordon attended the Restorex trade fair to promote the next edition. Jonathan says, ‘I remember getting a cup of coffee just before the doors opened and we were so swamped with people coming up to us telling us what a great job we’d done that I never got to drink it. How we ever produced that first edition was miraculous.’ The success of the publication grew steadily with each edition. Two special reports were published in 1994; The Conservation and Repair of Ecclesiastical Buildings (aka Historic Churches ) and The Care and Conservation of Historic Garden Landscapes. By the time the website was launched in January 1997, Cathedral had already published over 200 wide-ranging technical articles, and many of these were converted for publication on BuildingConservation.com . All printed- publication advertisers were given free supplier listings online, instantly expanding the availability of reliable conservation information to a new audience, including homeowners and students in particular. Nine months later, Google was launched and its search engine rapidly transformed access to everything online. Liz says, apart from the crucial commercial support from participating specialists and organisations advertising in the Directory we are most grateful for the ongoing moral support from the start from the many high profile advocates of historic environment conservation, including the then HRH Prince Charles and leaders of the major conservation and sector organisations as foreword writers, giving their seal of approval and emphasising the importance of what we are all working toward. Fast forward to the present day and Cathedral’s work has expanded to include publishing magazines, journals and yearbooks for other heritage sector organisations. Lisa’s and Liz’s roles lessened once the Directory became established, leaving Gordon and Jonathan to run the publications, with Gordon taking primary responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business. The team now includes Lynn Green, Lydia Porter, Nicholas Rainsford, Jessica Tooze and Carla Winchcombe, as well as xendo design. One of the greatest changes to have occurred over the past 30 years is that the awareness of conservation requirements has improved dramatically. All the principal professional bodies have introduced accreditation schemes for conservation, and the number of people trained in this field has increased steadily, including craftspeople and professionals. The importance of using lime mortars, for example, is far more widely understood today than it was when Cathedral started, and many more ordinary builders are getting the message. Gordon says, ‘It’s impossible to know exactly how much Cathedral Communications has contributed to this dramatic improvement, but the company and the printed and online information it provides have certainly played a key role in the building conservation movement.’ LOOKING AHEAD While it is true that far more ordinary listed buildings are now receiving the expert care they need, Cathedral’s directors feel that there is still plenty of scope for further improvement. Technology is constantly changing, and one of the greatest new challenges to historic buildings comes from climate change. Jonathan says, ‘Owners and contractors are rushing to find new ways of reducing heat loss without fully understanding how the existing structures perform, and the implications. In the worst cases modern closed-cell insulation is causing condensation, damp and mould growth because it stops buildings breathing. ‘Through the Directory and BuildingConservation.com we’re still pushing the boundaries while focussing on the information people need the most. We have always tried to help people navigate the challenges of conservation armed with good, well-presented information to help ensure things are done to a high standard.’ Gordon adds, ‘We have worked hard to achieve something which is good for the nation’s heritage, good for the economy, and which allows us, our employees and suppliers to make a decent living, pay our bills and sleep well at night.’ This article is based on interviews with the three directors of Cathedral Communications by editorial assistant Jessica Tooze Cathedral Communications’ directors Gordon Sorensen, Jonathan Taylor and Liz Coyle-Camp