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Avebury Pub Fire​…​…

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VBB V
VBB Feb 10, 2011 11:57:36
Replying to Littlestone

Littlestone wrote:
The point is the NT are in a position of responsibility and whilst one can understand they have to take all opportunities within reason to obtain the money needed to break even overall (across all properties) let them make money somewhere else and not in the centre of the largest stone circle in the world.
If I remember correctly there are only three properties (within the circle) in private hands; the NT therefore is already making a considerable amount of money from the others.

If it ends up with young people driving to Avebury for snack gatherings (or whatever they call it) it will be no less of a shame than any one piece of added litter blowing down the High Street.
Yes, of course, though why young people would want to drive to Avebury for a snack escapes me. The point is, are visitors (and many are from abroad) to Avebury being adequately served when it comes to refreshments? At present they only have the NT ‘restaurant’ and the Red Lion if they want to eat or drink indoors, and both have their drawbacks. A small tea/coffee shop (perhaps only open during daylight hours) would be the answer if sensitively and sensibly presented.
Visitors are served by two outlets as you say plus the sandwiches and snacks from the Community Shop, but the NT have form in jealously coveting the profits of others in Avebury. They were green over the attraction of Stones Restaurant, so took it over, they were jealous of the numbers entering the Great Barn Museum compared to the AK stables gallery. Arguably they did the same by taking over Keiller's Avebury. Now they are after the Community Shop's customers. And in any of the previous cases has the NT provided something better than what existed before?

S Sanctuary
Sanctuary Feb 10, 2011 12:26:19
Replying to VBB

VBB wrote:
[Visitors are served by two outlets as you say plus the sandwiches and snacks from the Community Shop, but the NT have form in jealously coveting the profits of others in Avebury. They were green over the attraction of Stones Restaurant, so took it over, they were jealous of the numbers entering the Great Barn Museum compared to the AK stables gallery. Arguably they did the same by taking over Keiller's Avebury. Now they are after the Community Shop's customers. And in any of the previous cases has the NT provided something better than what existed before?
I was going to send you my reply on the back of a postage stamp ...but I couldn't find one small enough!!

L Littlestone
Littlestone Feb 10, 2011 12:46:09
Replying to VBB

Well, putting jealousies and politics aside for a moment, imagine you’re one of the thousands of overseas visitors to the Avebury World Heritage Site who go there each year. You’ve maybe arrived by coach and, after walking round a few of the stones, fancy a decent cup of tea or coffee, with maybe a cake or a sandwich to go with it. At present you have a choice of either the NT self-service ‘restaurant’ which imho is uninviting and offers poor quality, overpriced food and drink (it was good when it was the Stones Restaurant) or you have the Red Lion. If it's just a beer you want then the Lion is great. The food ain’t up to much though and the loos are abysmal.

Still with your overseas visitor's hat on, imagine how nice it would be if you had a third option – a little tea or coffee shop selling proper tea and coffee with decent cakes etc to go with it. If the NT aren’t up to providing that (and it doesn’t look like they are from what’s on offer at their Avebury restaurant) then they could get someone else to run it. Maybe Polly’s Tea Rooms of Marlborough could open a branch there (they have branches in Salisbury and Wilton after all).

Bottom line is rembering that Avebury is a World Heritage Site. If we’re going to object to things being done there, that shouldn’t be done there, let’s object to new houses being built on Avebury’s doorstep, not to something (a teashop) which would add to the pleasure of a visit there.