The Bristol Evening Post carried a story today that “secret talks over the location of a new museum for Bristol’s supersonic jet have been ongoing behind closed doors for almost two years.”
The “complex” talks may lead to a site being purchased within months.
The newspaper believes the site may be on currently derelict land near the Cribbs Causeway regional shopping centre, but the Aviation Heritage Steering group (consisting of the local authority and others charged with finding G-BOAF a permanent museum home) is refusing to confirm or deny: understandably so in my view, given the circumstances.
All this may be pie-in-the-sky anyway because it is estimated that at least £30 million will be needed to secure the long-awaited aero museum of which AF would be the centrepiece.
The local authority chairwoman of the steering group and the spokesman of the Bristol Aero Collection were both quoted saying they hoped the new museum would be in place by 2010.
I can’t help thinking this is more wishful thinking than likely fact and, anyway, what is going to happen to AF in the meantime? By 2010 she might be in a sorry state if she remains outside exposed to all the elements.