Changes at Old Warden
Apart from Redhill having loads of commercial paying customers and no museum to run, you mean ?
The above applies to quite a few aeroclubs (and probably other clubs) I can think of.. Casual visitors are able to drop in to use the facilities: most businesses are happy to have the extra custom.
Dave ReidUK ... the OP said there was an additional charge for the museum and workshops (quite rightly) and the new charge was just for walking through the gate and being given access to the caff. Of course there are commercial businesses at Redhill .. I fly with one of those listed and mentioned 2 others. The point was that the new charge is simply for being there.
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 11th Aug 2021 at 14:14.
Just an example of how museums have been hijacked by the politically correct crowd:
It is a few years since I visited Shildon railway museum in Durham (part of the Science Museum), and I was considering another visit. I looked on the website to check whether any special events were planned. Nothing about special locomotives, but a couple of events taking place throughout 2021:
· Climate Talks, a series of panel discussions, Q&As and events exploring the problems caused by climate change
· Open talk - Explore the issues around diversity and inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths)
If I had wanted to learn about climate change or diversity I could switch on practically any programme on BBC. Nowhere seems to be immune from the woke agenda these days.
It is a few years since I visited Shildon railway museum in Durham (part of the Science Museum), and I was considering another visit. I looked on the website to check whether any special events were planned. Nothing about special locomotives, but a couple of events taking place throughout 2021:
· Climate Talks, a series of panel discussions, Q&As and events exploring the problems caused by climate change
· Open talk - Explore the issues around diversity and inclusion in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths)
If I had wanted to learn about climate change or diversity I could switch on practically any programme on BBC. Nowhere seems to be immune from the woke agenda these days.
There's a link to Shildon museum here. As you can see it features heavily on visits from the Flying Scotsman locomotive, exactly as one would have expected.
https://www.locomotion.org.uk/home
Dave ReidUK ... the OP said there was an additional charge for the museum and workshops (quite rightly) and the new charge was just for walking through the gate and being given access to the caff. Of course there are commercial businesses at Redhill .. I fly with one of those listed and mentioned 2 others. The point was that the new charge is simply for being there.
I was merely attempting to answer your question:
It will be a bit like when Beeching closed half of the railway stations/lines, the knock on effect came as a surprise in that the busy stations had a fall in numbers because travelers were not able to go to their intended destinations or start from their local stations because they were closed.
My guess is that cafe customer numbers will be reduced and either prices will be increased or opening hours reduced, both of which will further reduce visitor numbers and the downward spiral is gaining momentum. Luckily, there is still plenty of places where you can stop off for a cuppa and a bite to break your road journey without getting striped, some of them even have aircraft activity on flyable days.
If you feel the need to break your journey near to OW you could try Sandy Microlight Club, just by where you turn off the A1 for OW, I had coffee and cake there when I was early for a meeting with someone in Potton a year or two back.
Rans6............
My guess is that cafe customer numbers will be reduced and either prices will be increased or opening hours reduced, both of which will further reduce visitor numbers and the downward spiral is gaining momentum. Luckily, there is still plenty of places where you can stop off for a cuppa and a bite to break your road journey without getting striped, some of them even have aircraft activity on flyable days.
If you feel the need to break your journey near to OW you could try Sandy Microlight Club, just by where you turn off the A1 for OW, I had coffee and cake there when I was early for a meeting with someone in Potton a year or two back.
Rans6............
Thread Starter
AFAIK the hangarage charges all go into the same pot. The whole site is owned by the Shuttleworth Trust. Another issue is that the Trust over the last decade or more has shown more interest in the Agricultural College than in the flying and aircraft museum aspects, those becoming regarded as a bit of a side show and perhaps even a nuisance. Maybe this is another result of that mindset.
Couldn't the agricultural college easily provide the best snacks and refreshments possible if they reside next door? Attracting more people and increasing revenue not by new admission rules but by quality? They could do "green" food or "historic" menus with -say Edwardian- cuisine.
A completely different approach is taken by St Just at Lands End. They only serve flights to the Scilly Isles but supplement their income by inviting passers-by to their coffee shop and giving 2 hours free parking (normally £4.00). if you buy a cup of coffee (but make sure the staff register you in the APNR system to avoid a penalty charge).
St Just must have changed since we last tried to call. We used to visit the cafe when we were in the area but after they rebuilt the terminal there didn't seem to be anywhere to just get a cup of tea and a bun. We'll be in Cornwall in a few weeks so might give it another try.
Old Warden has probably got a similar big cheese to the one that abolished Friends of Duxford and combined it with Friends of IWM. I found an FOI request online a while ago and it said that of around 5,000 FoD members, 800 signed up.
Old Warden has probably got a similar big cheese to the one that abolished Friends of Duxford and combined it with Friends of IWM. I found an FOI request online a while ago and it said that of around 5,000 FoD members, 800 signed up.
DHfan the big cheese is one and the same ex Duxford big cheese if you see what I mean. OW has lost its unique atmosphere'. Inevitably some changes due to Covid 19 but not as drastic as this.
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Do the private aircraft owners have to pay the £15 charge to go in and access their aircraft ?, that really would be taking the p1ss.
St Just for a cuppa
St Just** must have changed since we last tried to call. We used to visit the cafe when we were in the area but after they rebuilt the terminal there didn't seem to be anywhere to just get a cup of tea and a bun. We'll be in Cornwall in a few weeks so might give it another try.
Old Warden has probably got a similar big cheese to the one that abolished Friends of Duxford and combined it with Friends of IWM. I found an FOI request online a while ago and it said that of around 5,000 FoD members, 800 signed up.
Old Warden has probably got a similar big cheese to the one that abolished Friends of Duxford and combined it with Friends of IWM. I found an FOI request online a while ago and it said that of around 5,000 FoD members, 800 signed up.
Not quite the same atmosphere of when the cafe was in the old fire engine workshop, but no charge to go in and plane spot, and it is very close to the Islander and Otter hardstanding. Not quite like the days when a Virgin Atlantic Jumbo was doing GPWS training approaches to the extended runway (400 ft cliffs) which got the locals quite excited when I mentioned they were starting a service to Gatwick !!.
Having refreshed yourself there you can make your way down to Geevor Mine Cafe for some excellent fare and a splendid view of the Atlantic swell pounding the cliffs.
On your way back to civilisation call in to Newlyn for a Jelberts ice cream (only one flavour) and quite the best in the west. On your way to the sea front with said IC you will pass an old Rover dealers who still sell MG's and Rovers at bargain prices. You have missed the Red Arrows display at Falmouth (so did everyone else due low cloud and dz)
No Banner towing around the Cornish coast this year thanks to CV19.
The key today for museums seems to get families visiting and a younger generation all together. Many have new visitor interest breaking off after the old regular customer generation. I agree that many "upgraded" museums loose their former charm and glory and feel like plastic including museum shops with terrible kitsch and cheap fast food at high prices on offer while exhibitions sometimes get remodelled and woke updated up to same sex restrooms.
To move ahead museums will need visitors This is why they need to be able and permitted to adapt somehow. I agree that not many have found the right way to do it. Old Warden has a great base to start from including the "green" part with farm and animals and the landmark collection with the old aerodrome and active flying. I wish them the very best. If somebody can do it they should hopefully.
To move ahead museums will need visitors This is why they need to be able and permitted to adapt somehow. I agree that not many have found the right way to do it. Old Warden has a great base to start from including the "green" part with farm and animals and the landmark collection with the old aerodrome and active flying. I wish them the very best. If somebody can do it they should hopefully.
Last edited by Less Hair; 13th Aug 2021 at 06:48.
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-I removed it because it might have sounded non sensible to some.-
-I removed it because it might have sounded non sensible to some.-