Cosford museum to charge for parking
Thursday 23rd July 2009, 11:30AM BST.
Parking charges are being introduced at RAF Cosford museum for the first time in its history, it was revealed today. Drivers will be charged £2 for three hours.
It is being introduced to help pay for the running of the tourist attraction.
Bosses said the charges for the museum, which this year celebrated its 30th anniversary, would also boost coffers to help maintain its national collection of aeroplanes and displays.
Motorists parking at the museum will be charged £2 to stay for up to three hours. A £3 charge will be introduced for drivers parking from three to eight hours.
The museum’s trustees have agreed to bring in the charges, which will come into force from August 1.
Museum spokeswoman Michelle Worthington said: “The income generated will be used to assist in meeting the costs of maintaining the museum’s national collection and of operating its sites.
“Free admission to the museum will continue as normal.”
The new charge is set to generate thousands of pounds for the museum, which annually hosts a number of popular events and attractions including RAF Cosford Air Show, which this year attracted a record-breaking 58,000-strong crowd.
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As it is such a wonderful attraction and a great thing for the Midlands I cant see why anyone would object to this charge.At 50p each for a car full you cannot complain.
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I cant see a problem with paying £2 for parking when the museum is free and what a wonderful day it is we spent a whole day and what do you get for free these days??
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the museum ceases to be free when parking charges are introduced i suppose the powers that be will moan when the takings in the shop and cafe plummet people in these hard times have only got so much to spend i hope in a few months time i will not be saying i told you so
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As someone who regularly uses the M54/M6 I often take my lunch break at Cosford, look a the planes, visit the cafe and use the loo. Now that simple pleasure will cost £2 I might as well stop at petrol station for free, even if their coffee and sandwich will cost more.
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The £2 for 3 hours fee seems to be a no-brainer when it would easily take more than 3 hours to see everything without rushing?
More like a clever marketing ploy to sound attractive when actually the main income will be the £3 fee surely?
It’s a good museum, don’t get me wrong – but hardly the time to start adding fees onto something which was attractive as a FREE day out in the first place?
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More charges, why do people accept whatever they are offered. Stand up, grow a pair and say NO!
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Why r u all moaning about 2quid a car of 4 people thats 50p each were else would you get a day out at 50p each !!!!!
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Sounds like the public like being ripped off.
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Well we wont be going very much now!We live locally and take the kids around this excellent museum 5 or 6 times a year,always spending money in the shop or cafe.Well done Cosford,you have lost our income and many others.Don’t you know there is a recession and people are short of cash?This will stop people going and you will see your numbers and takings drop.Your decision is stupid,short sighted and mean.
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A very dedicated veteran a few doors from me spends most his time at cosford on a voluntary basis to help keep whats there in good condition and for the airshow attraction. 2 quids nothing for the mans sevices. kids are more expensive!
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For a group of four people in one car the cost works out at a maximum of 75p per person, not exactly a great deal to ensure the future of the museum.
Whenever i visit i put a tenner in the contribution box but i wonder how many of those who are complaining do the same.
Probably not that many as it is always the “something for nothing” brigade who are the first to whinge.
I’m sure the people the museum is dedicated too would be sad to know how little they are valued.
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I was based at RAF Cosford during my service training before the Cold War museum was opened. The museum grounds had many aircraft sighted outside back then. I remember marching past huge crowds of visitors then, and if I recall correctly visitors had to pay to get in. Cosford is like your favourite Aunty who lives miles away. You don’t see her very often but you always look forward to going there. Although my career spanned time on Phantoms of which they only have a quarter of one, Tornado GR 3, Hercules and Chinooks of which they have none. I will still continue to visit and show my family and friends around whatever the cost. I guess they might even put me in the musuem when I finish working on aircraft
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everything going up, up, up. Fuel costs and car running costs go get there in the first place are a small fortune. To see everything in 3 hours one will need to be moving around the museum like Linford Christie. They have lost mine and my families custom.
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