Jim, firstly my comment was initially intended as a somewhat flippant or tongue in cheek response to this thread: Obit: Leicester's Heritage

To put my provocative comment in better perspective. Specifically I was responding to the point Acorn4 makes about Bow Bridge in Leciester which is being demolished to make way for a new complex (cut & paste of Acorn4's pertinent comments):

"This week Leicester City Council began demolishing the historic "Bowstring Bridge" in the West End of Leicester, and closed down a successful thriving pub, the "Pump and Tap", which has hosted live music for many years. This is because of a dodgy deal with De Montfort University who want to build a sports centre and turn Leicester into a flat-pack city for students ignoring the wishes of local residents.".."In any other place, it would probably have gone unchallenged, it's just that Leicester has so little of historic interest left. The bridge was part of a footpath the "Great Central Way" which led out into the country and the "Pump and Tap" a thriving local. ... Local people regarded it as the "gateway" into the West End of the city."...

(in particular I found this last comment poignant:)

"English Heritage failed to take into account the emotional attachment to pub and bridge of the people in the West End -this is all a part of "heritage" surely!"

A second example of a similar situation JackC actually flagged up on Mudcat some time ago (I searched but can't find the thread).

Paddy's Market in Glasgow had been there for 200 years, supporting local peoples needs to both buy and sell. But was shut down to make way for a shiny new tourist attraction. One wonders what 'nostalgic memorabilia' will be sold in the new arty arcade and how much the ousted local working classes will benefit from it?

I'm not exactly 'making a case' in support of my comment (which as I say, was initially somewhat tongue in cheek), just offering these examples as context for provoking broader discussion.