Do you know how a thatched roof is constructed?
It was great to join one of our local thatchers, Chris Dodson Thatching Services, to find out more about the process of thatching a roof and the challenges the industry currently faces.
Chris is a Master Thatcher and with decades of experience in the trade it was fantastic to find out more from him about the history of the trade and what I can do as a local MP to support the industry. It was fascinating to understand more about how thatching could be promoted as a sustainable building resource - everything on a thatched roof is recyclable - and the benefit of reducing the amount of VAT on the inputs needed to make it a more affordable option.
You may remember I raised the issue of thatching in Parliament last year when I asked the Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, about rules which restricted the use of water reed in replacement of thatching straw despite shortages in the latter. As a result of raising the issue with the Minister steps were taken and Historic England reviewed and changed their decision.
It was a real eye-opener to see the thatching process up close and see the same techniques being used as have been used for generations before, even some of the same heritage tools. I’ll continue to champion this industry in Parliament.
