At the risk of being controversial. Why do we need all these sites?
I have this discussion regularly with people. Britain and Ireland are covered with an incredible amount of heritage sites. We simply can't preserve them all.
I've lived in various mining areas for most of my adult life, all of which were (and are) endlessly fascinating. Some of them, when times were better received vast sums to 'preserve' them. Now that money isn't there and I suspect through a combination of political decisions coupled with the current crisis, the money isn't going to be there for a long time.
When you have places like Historic Royal Palaces nearly going bankrupt and laying off Yeoman Warders, suddenly some mining buildings, no matter how historically significant they might have been are going to be way down the list when it comes to renovation.
No matter how significant a site like Minerva is when, as we currently do, have a massive rise in domestic violence, domestic abuse, suicide and even murder (here I quote from the chief medical officer of an English County) , then Local Authorities have to put their money into this.
Most of us older types have lived through an amazing time of prosperity when there was money to spare for heritage. Now we have to accept those days have gone and are not coming back for a long time.
I don't know what the answer is, I just know we can't have all our heritage sites preserved as they were in the past.
If that's so, then surely the same case could be made for all historic sites. Whether it be the Tower of London, Conwy Castle, or a mine site like Minera. If you're going to cut funding overall by (for example) 50%, then cut all the sites by 50% - or just cut all the funding by 100%, and be done with it, with no 'favouritism' involved.
Stop playing at 'conservation', and leave it to the real experts (CADW, NT, English Heritage, etc) to decide if a site warrants the outlay or not
The problem to myself (and others) is that quite simply there was never a real business plan put in place for these sites. Next up for Minera will be an inspection, the realisation that the frame is rotten, and demolition of said frame - hopefully the wheel at the top is lowered down intact first - but even if it is, it'll be shoved under a tarpaulin in the council yard for a few years, before going in a skip.
If councils want to promote themselves as the guardians of these things, then they need to ensure they have funding in place to do this sort of work in the long term. Not a "We'll chuck £100k at it today, and worry about maintenance at the time", but actually have a plan, the funding in place, and the commitment to carry it through.
Otherwise, they're charlatans and con artists. Playing at being a regional CADW, but without a clue.
Madness takes its toll, please carry exact change