Emergency public meeting aims to save Bristol's beloved Concorde
AN emergency public meeting aimed at saving Bristol's beloved Concorde takes place tomorrow.
The Save Concorde Group has called the meeting fearing that the supersonic plane could be mothballed in a hangar and permanently closed as a visitor attraction.
The iconic aeroplane has been open to visitors at Filton since 2005 but the Evening Post revealed in June that the attraction will be moved into a hangar on October 15 for maintenance to be carried out.
Airbus UK has been unable to provide a date for when the maintenance will be completed and the plane will reopen to the public, leading volunteers, who believe the operation will cost about £250,000, to fear that it simply will not open again.
The SCG, which launched an emergency campaign called SOS: Save Our Speedbird, has called the meeting to try to get answers and have invited representatives from the Concorde Trust, Airbus, British Airways and the Bristol Aero Collection.
Ben Lord, Chairman of Save Concorde Group, said "This meeting is incredibly important and long overdue. It is for the people of Bristol and those connected to Concorde to come and air their views."
Mr Lord said Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti would be among those attending the meeting.
He said the group understood Concorde 216 would be moved from its current position outdoors at Filton Airfield to one of Airbus's Brabazon hangars, although no further explanation of the nature of the work had been forthcoming.
Mr Lord said: "The frustrating factor in all of this is that the volunteers who have spent tireless amounts of hours showing the public around the attraction, previously worked on Concorde and are able to judge first hand the condition of the aircraft and they do not see why the plane needs to be removed from public display."
Concorde 216 made its spectacular final flight home into Filton on November 26, 2003, following a successful Evening Post campaign to bring the last Concorde to be built at Filton back to its spiritual home. It was the last ever Concorde flight.
But the Filton site was only ever meant to be a temporary home for the aircraft. Plans have long been in the pipeline for the creation of a major aviation heritage centre, where planes such as Concorde would be under cover as the centrepiece of displays.
In October 2006 an announcement was made that a site near Cribbs Causeway had been earmarked for a permanent home for the museum.
A new organisation, the Concorde Trust, was set up to manage the development. Plans for the £10 million museum took a step forward in 2008 when South Gloucestershire Council granted planning permission for the attraction behind The Venue complex at Cribbs Causeway. But there has been no progress since planning permission was granted.
When first asked about the work in June, Airbus UK said Concorde would be moved into a hangar in the autumn for "routine maintenance work".
But the company said it could not give an indication of the timescale for this work.
The meeting takes place at 5pm at the Filton Leisure Centre, Elm Park, Filton. All are welcome to attend.
13 Comments
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by Andrew L Treweek, Filton
Saturday, September 04 2010, 10:49AM
“Some of the negative comments here appear to be from the usual suspects who (of course) have not even been on the 100 minute guided tour of 216 at Filton!, The monies raised were never going to cover the capital costs of setting up the aviation heritage centre that has been planed as part of the Concorde display. that is where the 'trust' organisation came in...... As for other Concorde attractions?, well let's just say the Filton team 'set up' Scotland, Barbados, and assisted with both Manchester, and Brooklands displays.”
by Marty, Alaska
Saturday, September 04 2010, 10:20AM
“Construct an Air Supported Fabric Structure to House the Airplane. The Fabric has been tested in laboratories with accelerated methods. It's estimated to last from 50 to 100 + years. It's Opaque so no light gets through. The Electricity needed to keep it inflated in very reasonable. That will protect this Airplane from the Climate, and give You 100 years to decide the next place to House it!”
by A nonny mouse, Cheltenham, but employed in Bristol
Saturday, September 04 2010, 6:06AM
“How was Pogo racist? I believe his comment was purely in tune with the buying power and style of the arab nations?...”
by Gary, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 6:51PM
“Pogo didn't put his point across very well but he does tell the inconvenient truth.
We may love the plane but at the end of the day the people of Bristol aren¿t prepared to come out in great enough numbers and pay high enough ticket prices for such an exhibition to be profitable.
Ask yourself what would the wider audience outside of the plane buffs do if they wanted to see Concorde? What would a family with a couple of kids do for example?
I will tell you what they would do; they would travel to the Fleet Air Arm Museum. No contest.
Let¿s be honest, Bristol Concorde is hardly a visitor attraction in comparison. It all looks rather amateurish and people won¿t pay good money for that given the alternatives competing for their pounds.
I agree with others that questions must be asked as to where the money raised initially was spent. I feel sorry for the volunteers who put their all into the project but without that investment up front it was always going to be doomed.”
by Richard Buell, Matheson Ontario Canada
Friday, September 03 2010, 5:20PM
“Hi Bristol
Just returned from your beautiful city and am distressed to read Concorde could be mothballed. Does anybody remember the Avro Arrow? Don't do the Canadian thing - the Concorde deserves a place in aviation history and must remain open to everyone. I'm glad Pogo the Clown's (perfect name, isn't it?) ignorant and racist rant isn't typical the people I know and love in Bristol. Thanks for sending the Evening Post my way every morning. It's the best way to start the day.”
by david, Filton
Friday, September 03 2010, 3:39PM
“When that plane landed for the last time,they had a wonderful chance to keep it airborne,but no they just thought about the revenue it would make .It was systematically stripped and stuck out on the airfield in all winds and weathers,just to make money. It was a disgrace to the City of Bristol where it was made, to treat it in that way and we must have been the laughing stock worldwide,when you see how other Countries have housed their Concordes.We didn't deserve to have it back with that attitude,we lost the plot the money ran out and they expect the Public to finance it after it was left to rot away.This proves were not shipe shape and Bristol Fashion anymore and it would be better off in another Country who would have more respect for it.”
by Pogo the Clown, .
Friday, September 03 2010, 2:03PM
“If people cared, they'd do more. The fact that people aren't flocking to help should tell you something.
I'm honestly sorry if it's not what you want to hear but it's the truth.
I went through the same trauma a few years back when the Shirehampton Air Filtration Museum closed down.”
by Andy L Treweek, Filton
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:32PM
“it's all been spent by the Concorde trust £350,000 on consultants, legal, and feasibility studies . that's the story that needs to be exposed to the people of Bristol.”
by Andy L Treweek, Filton
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:29PM
“Well when it's gone, it's gone for good”
by Samantha, Bristol
Friday, September 03 2010, 1:13PM
“What happened to all the money raised from the sale of the video "Concords last flight" we were told that this cash was to be used to put this plane in a purpose built ( visitor attraction ) hanger?”