Stonehenge forum 180 room
Image by RiotGibbon
Stonehenge

"achievABLE STONEHENGE"

close
more_vert
nigelswift N
nigelswift Feb 12, 2006 08:49:03
Replying to Littlestone

"Every site is different and probably requires a different approach"

I agree. And perhaps the approach should also reflect the times. At this time, and for the foreseeable future, when we're overdue an economic downturn, I think Achievable Stonehenge should have great regard to financial moderation (without allowing Stonehenge to suffer, obviously).

As Mrs T.'s greatest adversary, I do nevertheless wonder whether a big element of private enterprise (subject to regulation and a decent rent) might not deliver many of the best services - extending for instance to parking, retail, food, security and transport to the stones.

To grant planning permission is to create a very valuable asset out of nothing. To get a piece of that asset, private firms might be persuaded to pay a premium in exchange for a lease to run their food or retail operation - in other words, private enterprise would pay not only to construct their own food outlet but would also provide the money for building the interpretation centre.

I feel the further away from £60 million and the closer to zero the scheme can get, the more attractive and achievable Achievable Stonehenge will appear.

V VenerableBottyBurp
VenerableBottyBurp Feb 12, 2006 12:39:32
Replying to nigelswift

I think there is a consensus that there should be a shop, but that the visitor should n't be forced or persuaded into it.

As an aside I would also underline how loathsome and brain reducing the content of the EH shop at Stonehenge, and not a patch on the recent stocking policy of the NT shop at Avebury thanks to the woman in charge. An example being the democratic approach to publications, where at Stonehenge you could not until the recent edition even buy Chippindale's book, if you wanted a book it had to be EH's or an approved, there was no mention of Druids anywhere and no mention of the restoration (drum banged once again). That is another good reason to take Stonehenge out of the hands of those that have abused and mismanaged for the last century.

VBB