In response to Bristol Traveller - there was no cargo because the airport was unable to provide such facilities. Whilst runway length posed a problem for some days (09 and only 5-10% of the time), there was plenty of capacity for cargo. It was carried in the early days but forwarders and CO had bad experiences with Ward Aviation.
That's interesting. I'd heard from two people on separate occasions, but they'd drawn the assumption it was down to load restrictions. If it was a facilities issue, that is a different view.
I assume a contributory issue is that CO was the only scheduled long-haul out of BRS. I don't know what impact requiring daily "enhanced" security checks, business class catering and cargo handling would have on an airport that doesn't have other long-haul flights - wouldn't it make it disproportionately expensive and complicated?