LFFC,
Fair point, although you could keep scampton for other RAF/Army use (avoiding the noise problem) and allow the aviation infrastructure to be run down (no requirement to maintain runways etc, can move ATC / ops types to fill gaps elsewhere etc. Less saving admittedly (a worthless saving IMHO given the loss of a decent base etc) but when bean counters can see savings when all we see is increased costs shifted around budgets then surely its a possible!
...and meant to also say - where else could Reds practice? Bad enough having a role demo practice once in a while at our place but no way could they realisticaly practice at another location... unless you cut corners on hours practiced etc - a bad idea all round.