Britain's iconic thatched roofs face extinction amid rise in imported material costs

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Britain's centuries-old craft of thatched roofs faces extinction amid a surge in imported materials dominating the trade.Stephen Letch, a 67-year-old master thatcher from East Anglia who began his training more than five decades ago, warns roofers are vanishing rapidly as a result."We've been losing long straw thatchers," he told The Telegraph.

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There are 20 to 30 of us left now."The decline has created what Mr Letch describes as a "self-perpetuating crisis", with farmers abandoning straw as the demand has collapsed.

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TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "The growers of the particular straw that's suitable for long straw thatching is no longer grown because there aren't the thatchers, it's a vicious circle," Mr Letch said.The falloff comes amid a shift towards water reed, with near 90 per cent of the material now sourced from overseas due to the lack of domestic supply.Mr Letch noted how foreign water reed has been entering the British market for four decades, with prices of roughly £5 per...

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