CONTEXT 184 : JUNE 2025 49 Vox pop Mike Brown Who has been your greatest inspiration? Jerry Garcia. As recognised by Eric Clapton, he was by far the most melodic and imaginative electric guitarist of his time. Not bad for someone who began as a banjo player. What has been your best idea? Never worrying about what my best idea was! What would you like to have been if you had not become a conservationist? Rich. How do you reply at a party when someone asks what you do? ‘I fix listed buildings’. Only if there is a follow-up question do I provide more details: it’s a party – don’t be boring! What is the biggest frustration in your job? Progress on projects can seem very slow. Once strategies are agreed it is important to maintain momentum if focus and morale are not to drift. Plan. Write a Gantt chart. What would you like to be doing in five years’ time? Contemplating what I would like to be doing in five years’ time. I’m currently open to offers! What is your favourite building? The Taj Mahal, which I visited for the first time in January. It was at dawn, shrouded in mist which the sun gradually burnt off as it emerged into a clear blue sky. From all vantage points and distances, it was the most perfectly formed and proportioned structure I have seen. Magical! Your favourite place? Sunday mornings, at home, tea and toast, reading the Observer in bed. Or in the wee, wee hours stargazing on my favourite of the quieter Greek islands. Your favourite book? Sadly, I only find time to read for pleasure while on holiday. Hence, as it is a rare treat, I always take a classic. At the risk of sounding educated, Alexander Pope’s translation of the Iliad is a stirring read. Try it. The book I have opened over the years more than any other is Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cookery (1982). What do you do in your spare time? Wondering what I would do if I had any spare time! What organisations are you a member of? The RICS and the IHBC, of course. I am also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a parish councillor (past chair), a member of the friends of my local church (past chair) and the Wine Society, and a season ticket holder at Saracens RFC. Which one issue would you particularly like the IHBC to campaign on? The IHBC is not really a campaigning organisation, but I continue to be exercised by the gap between public sentiment about what our members do for society (‘What a wonderful job, you’re so lucky’ – see the question ‘How do you reply when at a party someone asks what you do?’ above) and the reality, for many, of poor pay, high workloads and diminishing capacity. Time to change the system! Mike Brown, now retired from paid work, is immediate past president of the IHBC. Mike Brown at the IHBC Annual School in 2024
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