MBCC Open week

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Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 1,988

Anybody else noted that the RAFM is now charging a fiver for entry to MBCC during their open week.

Original post

Member for

17 years 4 months

Posts: 1,375

I would say that is extremely good value for money, especially as the food emporium on site charges nearly that for soup and a roll.

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16 years 3 months

Posts: 1,813

I would say that is extremely good value for money, especially as the food emporium on site charges nearly that for soup and a roll.

That maybe so but it was even better value when it was included with admission to the museum, for which no charge is normally made.....

Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 1,988

The (admittedly small) parking charge is a de facto admission fee in any case. It just seems a bit strange that after so many years of what has been a free opportunity to see behind the scenes, you should suddenly have to pay admission.

Lets hope the c.£16k (assuming the charge doesn't diminish numbers) it raises will specifically help the restorations rather than being sucked into the RAFM overall funding

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 646

So what if the money does get sucked into the RAF Museum general coffers? It's a good cause and I don't mind paying a mere fiver for the opportunity. Most people will burn a great deal more in fuel just getting there.

Mind you, paying a similar amount last Monday in Cosford's restaurant for the worst virtually meat-free sausages I've ever tasted - well that certainly wasn't good value.

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24 years 2 months

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They probably came from Aldi Rob.

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14 years

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For those of us who don't know what MBCC stands for, and didn't like to ask.
It's the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre

At Cosford

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14 years 1 month

Posts: 5,088

When you look at what you get to see at Cosford for free anyway (if you discount the very reasonable parking fee) I think a fiver for a look around the MBCC is not unfair at all. If it raises funds for the RAFM to continue the good work they do, I'm all for it.

Member for

16 years 3 months

Posts: 1,813

If it raises funds for the RAFM to continue the good work they do, I'm all for it.

More likely it will go into the Treasury's coffers. This Museum is publicly funded and should not need to make supplementary charges of this type. There is also a danger that charges of this type start to grow, thin end of the wedge syndrome. With volunteer run museums I would take a much different attitude, you can be more certain the money will be used directly for the benefit of the museum and its artefacts.

How about leaving it to a voluntary donation.........??

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12 years 5 months

Posts: 333

you could always pay a fiver to see the MG factory at Longbridge? ........................................sort of puts it into context now doesnt it?

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16 years 3 months

Posts: 1,813

you could always pay a fiver to see the MG factory at Longbridge? ........................................sort of puts it into context now doesnt it?

What has this to with MBCC at Cosford?

Member for

12 years 5 months

Posts: 333

i was merely pointing out that if i had to part with a fiver i'd rather spend it at Cosford than at the Chinese embassy in Birmingham!

Member for

16 years 3 months

Posts: 1,813

i was merely pointing out that if i had to part with a fiver i'd rather spend it at Cosford than at the Chinese embassy in Birmingham!

Sorry, I am totally confused (easily done, these days!!), still don't see the connection with MBCC Cosford.....?!! Chinese Embassy would be in London anyway, not Birmingham.

Member for

17 years 4 months

Posts: 1,375

That maybe so but it was even better value when it was included with admission to the museum, for which no charge is normally made.....

As i said (as others have) a fiver is good value. Maybe not so if you a/ tight as a ducks... b/ skint

I put more than that in Help for Heroes tins and as proven recently, it probably never reaches the charity it's meant for !!

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16 years 3 months

Posts: 1,813

As i said (as others have) a fiver is good value. Maybe not so if you a/ tight as a ducks... b/ skint

I put more than that in Help for Heroes tins and as proven recently, it probably never reaches the charity it's meant for !!

In your opinion it is "good value"...... It is not a question of being "tight" or "skint", it is the principle of whether it is right for a well funded public institution to make a charge for something that was formerly included with the normal admission arrangements for the museum.

I have visited the MBCC in the past and will probably do so again.

Member for

19 years 1 month

Posts: 6,043

I have only been into MBCC on an unofficial/ad hoc visit - does anybody know what the large - ish turboprop engine is in the centre of the hangar?
It had Contra props and large black spinner !And parallel external cans !

Sorry for thread drift !!

Member for

19 years 9 months

Posts: 1,777

More likely it will go into the Treasury's coffers. This Museum is publicly funded and should not need to make supplementary charges of this type. There is also a danger that charges of this type start to grow, thin end of the wedge syndrome. With volunteer run museums I would take a much different attitude, you can be more certain the money will be used directly for the benefit of the museum and its artefacts.

How about leaving it to a voluntary donation.........??

I doubt it, the public money the Museum gets comes in Grant-in-aid form, and from the last published accounts 'Insufficient Funding' is seen as the No.1 risk to the future of the Museum. It usually runs at a paper loss, and nny money that goes out the Museum to the Govt is in the form of the usual taxes.

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/annual_reports/RAFM_2012_13_Published_Accounts.pdf

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,208

I understand that funding is a significant issue for the museum, hence the lack of airframes going to MAPS for restoration since the Defiant was completed.

Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 1,988

Yes, the Dornier 17 must have been/will continue to be a considerable drain on scarce resources.