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

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. "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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"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 square foot – twice the cost of traditional long straw.

Despite water reed making up 40 per cent of his own workload, the master thatcher voiced concern about deceptive practices within the industry.

"People are being missold and deceived," he said, alleging some craftsmen substitute combed wheat reed while claiming to use authentic long straw.

"The local authorities are turning a blind eye," he added, accusing officials of failing to protect the traditional craft.

For centuries, long straw thatching was the predominant roofing method across England and Wales, accounting for 90 per cent of all thatched roofs historically.

Materials were traditionally sourced locally, while water reed was confined to areas near river estuaries and marshlands.

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The master thatcher believes authorities have failed to safeguard the heritage, attributing to the declining trade.

He warned: "They have made mistakes in the past, not supported long straw and it has been swept under the carpet. The history and the skill of long straw thatching will slip away and disappear.

"If we were in Japan we would be classified as a national treasure to be safeguarded, but not in the UK."

Not all master thatchers share Mr Letch's concerns about the decline of traditional methods, with others pointing to the advantages of water reed.

Christopher Essex, a 52-year-old master thatcher from Surrey, said: "It's historical significance and that's about it in my eyes. Water reed is more durable."

Mr Essex claimed some water reed roofs have endured for some 90 years, compared with 20 to 30 years for traditional long straw alternatives.

Britain retains only around 60,000 thatched properties, roughly 0.2 per cent of the nation's housing stock.

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