The Anonymous Widower

What Are We To Do With Lancaster House?

Lancaster House is one of London’s most prestigious buildings, but it is treated like the way many of my parents generation treated the front room; for special occasions only. And you don’t let those outside the great and good in. Although to be fair, it is used for quality films.

So the news this morning in The Times, that the Government is thinking of transferring the property to the National Trust, is to be welcomed.

It would appear that the Trust would still allow it to be used for films, such as The King’s Speech, in addition to being open to the public, but also they would use the house to display some of the important works of art in government collections.

After all, Somerset House has undergone quite a transformation in the last few years, since C used to go there to the Principal Registry, which has now moved to an anonymous block in Holborn.  It is now a gallery, half is part of King’s College and there is an ice rink in the winter, to name just some of its important uses. It is also used as a film set.

So a good precedent has been set.

If we do the right thing with Lancaster House, we should follow that with sorting out Marlborough House.

July 10, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | World | Art, Films, London