The phenomena of `enterprise' and `heritage' might at first thought seem unrelated: this book sets out to show that the two concepts are not only related but deeply interdependent. If `enterprise' can be used to define the official encouragement of the values of the market society, then the growth of the heritage industry can be seen as a manifestation of the entrepreneurial spirit - marketing the past so that it is accessible to the man or woman in the street.

Using case studies, commentary and critique, the contributors to this lively volume discuss the importance of `enterprise' and `heritage' in British social and cultural life, with examples drawn from film, television, literature, urban planning, architecture, government advertising, information technology and tourism.