r/westmidlands

With news that the Medieval cathedral at Coventry is becoming damaged in large part because the inside was never supposed to be exposed to the elements for as long as it has been - is it unreasonable to want to see an effort mimicking that of the campaign that saved and restored Notre Dame, and finally see it rebuilt 80 years after its destruction? I understand the arguments against: that it's supposed to be a memorial to the wartime fire bombing of Coventry; that it provides a tranquil space for reflection in the city centre... But a reconstruction doesn't damage its role as a memorial, if anything it could instead represent a powerful symbol of reconciliation, resilience and healing, finally restoring a scar on the city’s landscape. Beyond preserving an extraordinary piece of British heritage, a rebuilt cathedral could revitalise Coventry’s city centre, attract international tourism, create jobs and generate millions for the local economy, much as the new tomb of Richard III brought an estimated £79 million in Gross Value Added to Leicester. Given we have a Prime Minister interested in redevelopment outside London, and the King is an avid lover of saving important British architecture isn't now finally the time for a campaign to restore this midlands icon?