§ Mr. Clement Freud (Isle of Ely)I have the honour, Mr. Speaker, to present a petition from my constituents of the town of Wisbech:
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. The Humble Petition of the residents and retainers of the Old Market, Wisbech in the county of Cambridgeshire sheweth:—That we the undersigned oppose the application by the Midland Bank to demolish two Georgian shops which it owns in the Old Market in order to build a small staff car park.We give the following reasons.1. The Old Market needs all its retail outlets to encourage custom to existing shops.2. Although there have been continuous requests to the Midland Bank, either to sell or rent the said property, the bank has refused to permit them back on to the open market, but has allowed them to remain unused and unattended, consequently, this has affected their condition detrimentally.3. If these two premises are restored and repaired, as they deserve, they would be viable retail outlets and residential accommodation in a prime trading area of Wisbech.4. There is ample free car parking and the threatened shops are straightforward Georgian town houses of historical and social significance to Wisbech and in perfect architectural harmony with the Old Market.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that the Minister of the Environment should proceed to protect these two buildings from destruction or further neglect by one of two means.1. By permanently listing the buildings, as are the majority in the Old Market, and recommending their prompt repair and restoration.2. By recommending their compulsory purchase for use as rented units, or resale in the open market subject to conditions of repair and restoration.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc. To lie upon the Table.