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C O N T E X T 1 7 9 : M A R C H 2 0 2 4 51 Vox pop Alexandra Fairclough Who has been your greatest inspiration? First, my mother for sowing the seed of interest by dragging me as a child and teen to many historic buildings. Later, my mentors Professor Ron Brunskill and John Archer at the Manchester School of Architecture, both of whom started me on my formal architectural history and conservation journey. They have continued to inspire and motivate me. More recently my interest has developed into a better understanding of modern architecture, and the late Elain Harwood was a great inspiration. What has been your best idea? Resurrecting the IHBC law and practice roadshows many years ago when I was the institute’s law and practice officer. It is something that should return. What would you like to have been if you had not become a conservationist? I would not change my career path, especially as it has not been direct. Initially I trained as a building surveyor in a local architects and surveyors practice, which provided me with a good grounding in understanding building defects and traditional building repairs.While working as a conservation officer, I studied planning and became chartered. I continued studying while working to achieve an LLB degree, specialising in planning, human rights and environmental law. For 14 years I worked as a planning inspector, and I continued studying and was called to the Bar of England andWales. I worked on a broad spectrum of planning appeal cases, including inquiries and small householder applications, but I missed the grass roots of conservation and returned to local authority planning. How do you reply when at a party someone asks what you do? I say that I work with old buildings. That usually sorts it. What is the biggest frustration in your job? Heritage teams and conservation officers need more funding and support generally in local government. Heritage legislation and policy need overhauling and zero VAT for repairs should be introduced on listed buildings. Local government salaries are low for the workload many conservation officers carry, compared to private practitioners, especially with the required qualifications for the job, and the expertise and experience that many officers bring to it. Being a local authority conservation officer is a vocation rather than a job, with the heritage asset as the ultimate client, unlike in private practice. What would you like to be doing in five years’ time? More of the same, but I enjoy lecturing, and writing articles and blogs. I am completing a book for which I was awarded a scholarship, but this is taking far longer than I anticipated as I await policy and legislative changes. I would like to think that this would be finished. What is your favourite building? Chetham’s School and Library in Manchester, one of the buildings that has been an important part of Chetham’s Library, Manchester, has been in continuous use since 1653. (Photo: Mike Peel, Wikimedia)