Sheffield Airport To Close - 22nd April 08
 

Just been informed that Sheffield City Airport is to close on 22nd April. Hell of shock as we had previously been told 2-3 years before we would have to think about moving our group aircraft, now we have 90 days.

I feel even more sorry for all the staff there connected with the airport who apparently were given letters last night. Fantastic people, always friendly and willing to give a hand outside of their job description! I hope they find alternative employment quickly.

Our group is getting together to discuss what to do, but doubt there is any way we can challenge Peel. I understand it was looked at previously but they have it pretty well stiched up - As well as us!!!!!

Good 'ole Sheffield City Council & Peel Holdings!

J.

Very sad news.

Very very sad

Peel Holdings also own Durham Tees Valley or as we prefer the name Teesside International Airport.

How long before it becomes a housing estate?

Julian,
the way around this thorny problem is........ to buy the whole site yourself.

It's a well known fact that Peel only took on responsibility for the site with the eventual aim of developing Finningly, Peel also made no secret of the fact that as soon as Finningly was up and running commercially they would dispose of Sheffiled.

Most of the money for the development of the airport in it's infancy came from Budge Mining (around 10%) and the EEC (around 89%), the rate payers of Sheffield barely contributed anything through the local authority, other than relatively insignificant sums via the Regional Development Agency.

After that, Peel put in around £8m to keep the place going, so it's only right that they should have a return on their investment for providing the community with a facility that the community never paid for.
I accept that you and your colleagues pay to be based there, but it's no different from renting a commercial premesis, once the landlord serves notice, you are obliged to go and your opinion counts for little unless you are prepared to make a vaible commercial proposition.

The other thing you should consider is, that the airport is built on a slag heap, and I don't know if many people are aware but it only ever had a fixed life span because of that, many of the existing buildings regularly show signs of subsidence and the runway probably only has a few years left in it.

As an industrial estate, it has a future and would be a far greater boost to the local economy than the airport ever was, the subsidence problems wouldn't be too much of a factor - as an airfield it has no commercial future, doesn't serve the local community's needs at all and never will.

Indeed and whilst we cant begrudge a business for making money dont forget that they actually purchased the site for £1. So the £8m they have since put in has actually turned out to be a very cheap investment (as long as dont call shortening the runway an 'investment').

Peel also own Doncaster and obviously dont see the point of owning 2 airports close and of course its competition for Doncaster. Wasn't there also talk about widening the airspace around Doncaster? Maybe this is another way them achieve this? (putting my cynical hat on)

I agree, any business park will serve a community more than a small airport in terms of jobs, etc, however I would not agree that it didnt serve the community at all.

As regards the condition of the buildings and subsidence, I am no surveying expert but all the buildings round there are either brand new or only a few years only. The airport building itself is very modern and showing no signs degreneration.

I think the main thing is the speed at which it has suddenly been decide to shut having been informed late last year that we had a further 2-3 years before we would have to think about moving. I am sure the staff are in more shock that we are as we are only tennants, as you say, for them their livelyhood has just vanished!

I would love to purchase it myself but unfortunately just checked my overdraft limit and even once I have been paid I think I may be just a bit short of funds :}

J.

There is nothing on their website. As a customer nobody has served me with a notice to quit.

Is the S.Yorks Police ASU to relocate?

Will it be closed completely or run as a heliport as was a previous plan?

For information only - Peel only became involved in Sheffield in 2002, 5 years after in opened.

The site was an opencast mining site before, and I believe there were strict guidlines on the size of the materials used to fill the site to prevent subsidence.

As for the tax payers - think they bought Europa Link, thats all.

A real shame and a sad story. I remember the airport being opened and being excited about it as Netherthorpe was always a bit too far away from where I am on the west of Sheffield, the downer then was that there were no single-engined planes allowed.

Then commercial flights stopped but SEPs were allowed so I got my PPL there, fulfilling a long-held ambition.

Now it's to close leaving Sheffield with no nearby general aviation facility once again. A shame for the city and for GA in the UK, particularly as it seems hardly a week goes by before another "airfield under threat" warning emerges.

Can't get excited about a business park. Sheffield and the M1/M18 area has acres and acres of flat brownfield land for business parks.

Very sad. I had a good year instructing there, and was under the impression helicopters were going to be able to operate there for quite a while. And even after I left, I used to drop in for coffee and to chat to old friends. I'll miss that. :(

I think it's sad when ANY airfield closes.

Drat...
 

...does anybody know the implication for Sheffield City Flying School?

I think this is a great loss.

It's a shame when any airfield closes, but it will keep on happening and we have to get used to it.

As long as people moan about landing fees and the permit types keep pushing us towards farm strips, fuel prices rise and GA is not looked on as a utility but rather a rich mans sport the airfields are never going to be able to generate the revenue to be viable.

HR, As I understand it so far only staff connected with the airfield, i.e. reception, firestation,etc have been given their notice, obviously businesses renting office space are staying. Obviously SCFS would be the exception to this as without an airfield they cant operate!

Our group Chairman gave me the news and he recieved it from one of the staff, I can only assume our notice will be in the post.

J.

Yet again the mighty Peel strike again.

For a company with a thriving aviation business it would appear that they are only interested in the commercial side of things. Liverpool Ringo Starr and Doncaster Fryar Tuck are well invested. But at the other end, Barton is pretty much unuseable to GA unless you are rich AND like being ripped off. Sheffield is closing. How much more are this company going to be allowed to ride rough shod over any airfield that they like??

For me I am now left with a huge dilemma. From where I live in Stockport what are my options. Well I can go and get ripped off at Barton, pay with arms and legs at Manchester, or travel to Liverpool, where I began my training and left due to escalating prices and for other reasons. Lets face it where is there to go from Liverpool other than Sleap or Caernarfon?? So where do I base myself now. Don't like PFA types (aircraft not the people) don't like grass, especially at this time of the year. Or do I just sit back and let my licence lapse, as there is nowhere practical for me to fly from anymore. EGSY was about as far as I wanted to travel!

Thanks Peel, thanks a lot!!!

So thats Shefield down, now lets have another look at that Barton place.....

What is this 'Barton' place that you are talking about?

I only know of City Airport Manchester... :E



;)



Edited to add: Here's a bit more about Peel's published plans for EGCB.

I am being selfish of course...
 

...there are people out of work as a result of this, not just a bit of a further drive for my weekend jollies. It could certainly be worse!

Thoughts with those guys...

Very sad news, and will put the City of Sheffield back at the top of the list as the largest European City without an airport.I guess the City fathers dont care anymore because whilst this was an embarrassement thirty/twenty years ago, maybe it doesn't matter anymore?

Do Doncaster allow/encourage/tolerate business and private aircraft?

Otherwise where is there near to Sheffield GA-wise? Netherthorpe has short runways, and Coal Aston has a low weekly movements limit.

Anyone fancy trying for some development money and opening a GA facility in the area....?

Nah! where's my medication, doctor!:=

EGCA

Others...
 

Sandtoft, Doncaster and Netherthorpe are the other local sites not mentioned here...

Doncaster and Netherthorpe:

I respectfully refer you to my post immediately above yours, bigfoot01.

EGCA

Beyond speculation

1. All staff at the airport have been given notice of being at risk of redundency (wed 22 Jan).

2. Nothing has been said to any operators as yet.

3. There may be a meeting with operators in about 2 weeks (who are also tenants and hence have rights in law) to provide details of ????


Speculation
1. Peel have cut a deal for a major industrial unit or equiv and hence are cashing in their £1 purchase of the site to make a windfall profit now.

2. This may include demol of the terminal and hanger area (which is in greenbelt land).

3. Previous airport manager (one of..) stated that "there would always be aviation at Sheffield" as the E end is greenbelt and hence cannot be developed.

Julian:Not really. No commercial flights at Sheffield and no GA at Doncaster.
NS

Gamston is 20-30 mins away, good facilities, no flying club though.

Firstly, yes I agree that it is a very sad and worrying time for staff at EGSY, and having been at threat of redundancy last year, followed by the actual event it is not a nice feeling at all and our thoughts should go to a great bunch of people who do a good joband make you feel welcome on arrival at the terminal. Indeed my own point of view is about the weekend jolly, but the wider picture is very sad and I wish every single one of them good luck in finding work.

As for the other fields around, if you are local to the area then yes, Sandtoft, Gamston, Netherthorpe (perhaps) and to a lesser extent Wickenby are all great fields to fly from. Gamston is a particular favourite haunt of mine as you can do the bacon butty run from Sheffield to Gamston for less than an hour in the air, great on a tight budget! But I am already travelling from the other side of the Penines and it takes me over an hour in each direction to get to Sheffield. Going any further takes the shine off it and increases the expense of flying. I like Sheffield for its warm welcome, easy access from where I live, tarmac runway and is about as far as I want to travel from home. For me I am left with little optiion other than travelling further.

Corporate Britain is yet again ripping off the stakeholders and getting away with it whilst the government look on smiling. Perhaps Peel should be hit with a tax bill for the (alledgedly) disgustingly immoral amount of profit they are about to make at the expense of a good little airport staffed by some great people.

Shame on you Peel (Not that you are at all bothered)

that is a shame yes. I have heard nothing to suggest that SY99, our force helicopter is moving home. In fact our OPs support is based there so I doubt that will move. Mind it has its own landing pad etc anyway.

Liam

The second Yorkshire Air Ambulance, G-CEMS, is also based at EGSY, and there is nothing shown on the air ambulance website about a move away.

Surely it is not beyond the realms of possibility for Sheffield to salvage a decent heliport out of this situation? A heliport that allows for general aviation rotary wing operation as well as the police and emergency services?

Come on City Fathers, get real!

EGCA

Yes, a very good idea. I think it's ideally placed in the country for a helicopter refuel stop / bolthole.

Police and amulance are staying. Police will be moving into different hangerage next to TAMS where the ambulance is at present... What happens to TAMS who knows? The tower is going so i suppose it'll become a private heliport/helipad

Heli red eye and Cumulogranite:

Your speculation is just that and nothing more, you clearly haven't a clue what it costs to run a place like Sheffiled.
Peel took the place on when no one else would and it was on the verge of closure.
They have spent a lot of money keeping it running and are no different from any other speculator in being perfectly entitled to take the profit when, as has been proven, Sheffield City Airport has no commercial future.
Past and current operations do not pay the operating costs, clearly it couldn't be subsidised by by the local taxpayers and it has no future as an airport.

As I've said before the site as an industrial estate, will contribute more to the local economy than the airport ever did, in that respect, Peel owe you or anyone else nothing and should be applauded, not criticised by a bunch of Little Englanders with a village mentality.

I heard that the Air ambulance mob signed on for a 2 year contract in October 2007, Can you really see the place staying open as a heliport with only 2 explorers and a couple of robbos? I doubt it very much, still the runway will make a lovely high street.

And you Niknak, apart from being a long running apologist for Peel, cannot spell.

That aside, I am a customer, and I expect to hear about major changes from my supplier from them rather than the rumour mill. I am also a tenant, and hence have rights in law. I also have a contract and these cannot be unilaterally changed.

I am not a - but I'm sure a market trader could have made a good job of running the airport. And I do have a £1 to spare in my potato sack. But I expect anybody wanting to buy the land that was transfered for a pound would find that now it is priced at more than that today.

A strange combination of The Peoples Republic and the Capitalist Hordes - one is reminded of the final paragraph of Animal Farm. I think I understand now why Blunket set his dog on me on New Years Day.

I also recall the whole saga of the SDC and the amount of business that was turned away from the region in the name of ego. I guess a few people missed out on this time and want a second go now.

Have a nice day.

niknak also knows sod all about the real economics behind the airport. Here's something that I posted elsewhere:

2005 accounts for the activities at Sheffield City Airport:

Sheffield Business Parks Ltd
who made a profit of £3,968,832 and declared a dividend of £6,000,000. Tangible fixed assets of the company stood at £24,388,438. They also got a grant of £6,719,455 from the European Regional Development Fund of which 67,195 has been repaid. Tax charge for 2005 £126,478

They, along with Peel Airports Ltd are joint venture partners in:

Sheffield Airport Properties Ltd
Profit of £130,573 on a turnover of £297,938.

They have one property asset (the airport) that they lease for £297,938 pa to:

Sheffield City Airport Ltd
The airport operator who even while paying that enormous rent actually made a gross profit of £127,022 but after 'administrative expenses' it became a loss of £406,177.

Sheffield City Council sold the airport for the princely sum of £1 because 'it wasn't viable.




£3.7m profit in 2005 doesn't sound unviable to me.

deleted ... double posting!

Peel have made sure of that!!!!!

Shortening the runway wasn't exactly good business sense, I am sure they knew what they are donig from the start.

Eltonioni posts shows the real figures and blows Niknak out of the water. They got it for a song and are making massive amounts of money off the back of it. :*

Spelling......oops...shouldn't that be capitalist hordes? :p

It does take the biscuit when some people say that EGSY was not a commercial proposition.

It certainly was, and the only reason it is more attractive as a lucrative development opportunity for Peel is the amazing deal they agreed with the council which meant little or no incentive for them to make a success of the place.

It's a complete red herring to say that is is better as a business park. If it was just an undeveloped piece of land where it is, it would stay undeveloped. There are even several large buildings in the business park next to the airport that remain empty so talk of jobs being created by EGSY closing is misguided.

Thank you ShyTorque. As Marx once once observed "Bad spellers of the world untie".

h-r;)