THIS WEEK IN 1984: Money spent on heritage defended
![The Lord Mayor admires a superbly crafted model of HMS Victory in his parlour](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/legacy_oak_91274511.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![The Lord Mayor admires a superbly crafted model of HMS Victory in his parlour](/img/placeholder.png)
Dr Neil Cossons, director of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, said he was ‘tremendously enthusiastic’ about the city’s unrivalled array of historic ships.
Dr Cossons paid a courtesy call to Lord Mayor Leslie Kitchen, and fired a broadside at people angered by the city’s cash support for projects like Mary Rose and HMS Warrior.
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Hide AdHe said that Portsmouth’s ambitious target of attracting a massive 1.1million visitors a year was well within sights.
‘Far from pouring money into its past, the city is really pouring money into the future –and there is no doubt that is a winning investment,’ Dr Cossons said.
‘Popular interest in man and the sea has grown enormously in the last 10-15 years, and will continue to do so. As far as Portsmouth is concerned, the timing couldn’t be better.
‘Attracting 1.1million people a year is a very large number by any standard. But I am convinced they can get it. After all, HMS Victory alone garners around 440, 000 visitors each year.’