Minister, to plead for the preservation of the arch, arguing that if it really had to be moved, that it should be dismantled and re-erected elsewhere. As J. M. Richards recalled, "Macmillan listened – or I suppose he listened [...] he sat without moving with his eyes apparently closed. He asked no questions; in fact he said nothing except that he would consider the matter." Two weeks later Macmillan gave his response to the proposals. He stated that he had decided against adopting the suggested preservation strategy, and explained that "every possible way" of preserving the arch had been investigated by the BTC, but the lack of available land, the operational requirements of the station and the removal costs entailed made the project infeasible. He revealed that the only place the arch could be put where it would not look "incongruous" was the traffic roundabout on the Euston Road, a possibility which had been considered unsuitable by the LCC. He refused to allow any further delay or to allow the Victorian Society time to raise funds, for that would delay the reconstruction of the station and involve extra expenditure of £100,000. A group of young architects had attempted to delay demolition by climbing the scaffolding around the arch and erecting a 50 ft long banner with the inscription "save the arch" on it. Sir John Summerson was also present at the demonstration. Demolition Demolition began in December 1961. Leonard Fairclough Limited of Adlington in Lancashire were appointed as demolition contractors. The company revealed that it would take several weeks to demolish the arch, as the job would have to be done by hand — explosives being out of the question owing to possible damage to the adjacent buildings. Criticism The Architectural Review criticised the cynical means employed by British Railways in achieving the demolition of the arch: Frank Valori, a representative of Leonard Fairclough Ltd., later revealed to Lord Esher that he had undertaken the demolition "without pleasure" and had offered to provide the government with an alternative site at his own expense at which he would store the stones of the portico with a view to re-erecting it elsewhere. This offer was "disdainfully rejected by the Government on the flimsy pretext that no place could ever be found." Valori presented a silver model of the arch to Lord Esher who admitted that the gesture "made him feel as if