'Britain has become indifferent to beauty'  This motion was
proposed last week at a vigorous debate asking if Britain had
become indifferent to beauty, from architecture to landscape and
from art to music. Stephen Bayley, the Observer's design critic,
opposed the motion and argued forcefully that Britons retain an
enthusiastic appreciation of both classic and modern aesthetics
National Trust debate on beauty  The great thing about the
present economic calamity is that it is forcing a thoughtful re-
examination of values, rather than the coarse pursuit of
acquiring more stuff we don't need with money we don't have.
So, right on cue, the National Trust, guardian of collective
memory, has held its first public "Quality of Life" debate,
organised by Intelligence Squared, the business that makes
brainy argument into an extreme sport for urban intellectuals.
During last Thursday's cocktail hour at the Royal Geographical
Society, 700 guests paid to hear a debate on whether "Britain
has become indifferent to beauty".