Damned if you do and damned if you don’t:

The front row of the gallery has been taped off after an engineer was called in to conduct an audit of the Georgian building. He found that the barrier overlooking the nave was only 760mm (30in) high, compared with the 1,100mm (43in) required by modern safety standards…[.]…… had considered fitting a safety rail. But since the church is listed, this is out of the question.

Similar things are happening in Bath at the moment. Those Georgian houses are being brought up to modern fire standards under the Houses of Multiple Occupation Act. Those which are Grade II or II* listed can manage it. Those which are Grade I (Royal Crescent, Circus and so on) find that the demands of the Council are declared illegal by English Heritage. The only outcome possible within the two sets of law is that they will be declared unfit for human habitation. What is even more absurd is that the regulations appear to cost some &#163 1 billion per life saved per year. Completely looney.