Midland Wind & Water Mills Group - December 2013 Newsletter Minuted at their AGM.  Chairman, Tony Bonson made some comments that are relevant to all Mills Groups and enthusiasts:

…...Tony said that it would be his last year of chairmanship and he thanked the members who had supported him.

He outlined three major problems facing the milling world using three examples that the Group had been involved with during the last year.

(1). Falling membership - Although MMG numbers are healthy the general mill scene was not brilliant, with the Yorkshire Mills Group closing (except for limited on-line presence) and the NW, NE and Kent groups down to about 50 members which is probably the minimum viable.

(2). Environmental Campaigns. This year saw the emergence of a group dedicated to returning the River Teme to the state it was before 1066 which included the removable of all weirs. So far not much attention has been paid to weirs and they do not normally appear in the listings for mills.

This attitude could spread to other river basins so it was hoped that it could be resisted at a national level.

(3). Property Development. With any upturn in the national economy, property developers will be back trying to convert mills into expensive dwellings. At Fallgate mill in Derbyshire, which was restored in the 1980s using voluntary labour and grant funds from various sources, the 25 year lease ran out and the land owner has now been granted permission to house convert the mill thereby making a large profit from the previous restoration work.

All of which shows we have to maintain vigilance if we wish to keep on protecting mills.