A call has gone out to revamp run-down houses located in historical areas in Bahrain instead of demolishing them.

Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) heritage construction consultant Dr Alaa El Habashi said the term 'dilapidated houses' should not be used as an excuse to bulldoze ancient houses, reported the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

“Some buildings have minor defects and can be repaired easily but we have found out that people tend to demolish the buildings instead of repairing them,” he said.

“These buildings are part of Bahrain's heritage and demolishing them means ruining it.

“The BACA also aims to repair abandoned houses as part of its vision.”

Dr El Habashi said that a nationwide campaign, called 'If Only Our Houses Can Speak', will be launched with the aim of protecting ancient houses.

“The name tells people a lot about the issue and means that houses would have a lot to say if they were able to speak and tell us about the important history that happened since the time they were built,” he explained.

“We are trying to raise awareness among people and government entities to preserve our heritage.

“We also want to improve services in historical places especially Muharraq and Manama.” - TradeArabia News Service