THE appearance in the Times of an advertisement for the sale of 'The Pimple' has prompted me to write and express concerns about the tower.
The concept of selling this tower is I believe a nonsense. The functional, commercial and residential uses of the building are almost non-existent even if planning permission could be obtained.
More importantly, a new owner would not only incur the costs of maintaining the visible superstructure of the tower in accordance with legal obligations relating to listed buildings, but also any potential costs arising from deterioration in the foundations and the buried remains of the abandoned service reservoir below. These are unlikely to be 'modest' costs, more likely a major liability!
There is I suggest only one long-term viable ownership of The Pimple and this is by Tavistock Town Council, who already own Whitchurch Down on behalf of the community.
Given the importance of The Pimple tower to the landscape of the Down, I suggest that Tavistock Town Council should now show sufficient initiative and foresight to secure the building for the town and community.
Equally, South West Water should end this charade of selling the tower and accept some responsibility for future maintenance costs.
It should not be too much to expect from these organisations given the high costs of water charges and rates which the people of Tavistock have put up with in the last decade.
Despite any assurances South West Water may give about care in the selection of a new owner there is, I believe, a real risk that a private buyer will not want to afford or could not afford the long-term costs of the future maintenance.
The building has become a folly as a result of its disuse as a water undertaking building, it should not be allowed to become a monument in the greater folly of ignoring and possibly risk losing a distinctive and worthy feature of Whitchurch Down.
Roderick Martin
16 Hurdwick Road
Tavistock