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Avebury & the Marlborough Downs

Bad news at the Barge

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VBB V
VBB Oct 23, 2012 16:15:07
Replying to Littlestone

Littlestone wrote:
It’s a museum (and not a very well attended one at that). When push comes to shove places like museums are the first to go. The NT can rake in their 5 quid a bash without having to spend it on the upkeep of the Barn Gallery – and probably will.
Not sure where that idea came from, last year saw 53,000 in total enter the AK: 45,000 entered the barn and 39,000 the stables gallery. That's up 7k from the year before and more than say Salisbury Museum. The problem for Avebury is that were the NT forced to spend their own cash on the thatch that is money that won't be available for anything else (indeed perhaps no money for anything else), whereas if they get a grant...

L Littlestone
Littlestone Oct 23, 2012 17:01:07
Replying to VBB

Those figures (if accurate) are actually quite poor VBB when one considers the importance of Avebury as a WHS – nor is it that straight forward in statistical terms. How many visitors to the Barn for example are paying visitors, and not those with a pre-paid NT membership card? It might be more relevant to ask what percentage of visitors to Avebury actually pay to go into the Barn. If you have those figures, and how much revenue is generated from that source, I’d be interested to know.

I suspect the majority of those willing to spend a bob or two at Avebury (after the car-park charges) are those willing and able to visit the recently refurbished Manor. And I suspect the only thing that’s going to save the Barn is not a grant (I’ve absolutely no idea where that's likely to come from nor does anyone else, close to source, know to my knowledge). Revenue from the Manor might help but sadly, both you and I know that that is not how the NT works.

H Harryshill
Harryshill Oct 23, 2012 17:05:38
Replying to VBB

I don't understand how this has become a problem. Thatch has a known life span and a replacement budget should have been programmed in.

£80,000 seems a lot of money for replacement thatch. I reckon they must be thinking of using reed rather than what would have been originally used, or have I got that wrong.

V VBB
VBB Oct 25, 2012 08:13:12
Replying to VBB

Whilst the discussion heads off for the economics of thatch, isn't anyone going to put up a link to Stukeley's Abury frontispiece, that other iconic image of this barn in a dilapidated state in The Times, or the barn being restored in 1978?