building from demolition, president Mrs. Patsy Phillips said yesterday.

But its efforts were "hampered'' because developments in the city are not required to be advertised before being considered by the Development Applications Board.

And Mrs. Phillips said she was happy to hear of Shadow Environment Minister Mr. Julian Hall's "keen'' interest in the destruction of the Front Street building.

"Obviously, the more support given by the public and political parties would help to ensure their safety,'' she said.

Demolition began on the building this week to make way for million-dollar extensions to the bank, which management say will look more authentic than the old building.

Criticism of the plans was revived this week by Trust life member Mrs. Joyce Hall, who once chaired its historic buildings committee.

Shocked to learn that demolition had begun, Mrs. Hall blamed the Trust for not objecting strongly enough to the bank's plans.

Mr. Hall joined in the criticism on Tuesday saying he was "aghast'' and "appalled'' that the demolition was going ahead.

But Mrs. Phillips said: "Support for the preservation of all buildings on Front Street has been of grave concern to the Bermuda National Trust for some considerable time.

"For the past 18 months the National Trust has been in contact with the Bank of Butterfield. Meetings were held as far back as January 1991 by our Historic Buildings Committee.'' She added a special committee had been formed to work with the bank and their architects towards the preservation of the building.

But the Trust did not succeed in saving the building, largely because the DAB did not require the bank's plan to be advertised, as the building was in Hamilton which is already highly developed.

Mr. Henry Ming, the new head of the Trust's historical buildings committee, further said that other than preservation orders on a few buildings, there was no law to protect old buildings from demolition.

Mrs. Phillips added, "The Historic Buildings Committee is now working towards the preservation of all historic buildings in Hamilton and in particular along Front Street to try and ensure that no further demolition occurs.''