Scout group's rent shock
A scout group which has been meeting at the same base free of charge for 40 years has been left devastated after being told to cough up £4,000 a year in rent to stay there.
Stourbridge Air Scouts has been based at Wolverhampton Airport, since 1964 and have always enjoyed a goodwill arrangement.
Their plight has come to the attention of Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson after new site owners Mar Properties Limited told members the deal could not continue for commercial reasons.
Under former owner Graham Hampson-Silk and his father before him, the group has not been charged for using the airport as a base.
The troop, totalling 26 members, has launched an appeal to former members and firms to help raise the rent money.
Their efforts have been given a boost by Sir Richard who has forked out £1,000 to get them started. The multi-millionaire was told about the situation by his friend, airport chaplain Rev David Smith. Group spokesman Roger Tandy said the donation had given them a strong start and hoped other businesses bosses would follow Mr Branson's example.
"We want to stay at the site desperately and cannot downgrade because there are no suitable facilities," he said. "The rent has been reduced by Mar Properties Ltd but we are aggrieved it could not have been lowered a little further. In terms of Mr Branson helping us, we were quite lucky as the airport chaplain is a friend of his."
A Mar Properties Ltd spokesman said they wanted the air scouts to stay but from a commercial viewpoint, the firm had no choice but to levy a charge.
Anyone wishing to support the group call Mr Tandy on 01562 883469.
