Manston - nearly 100 Years of history to close tomorrow......or??

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11 years 5 months

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Last minute negotiations and an improved offer, but is it enough?

"ANOTHER offer for Manston Airport in the region of £6million has been tabled by American firm RiverOak Investment, it is understood.

The company’s previous offers have been rejected by airport bosses, who say potentially buyers have: “consistently failed to substantiate their proposals”.

If the new offer is rejected, it will almost certainly spell the end for Manston, which has operated as an airport for almost 100 years.

Unite the Union has slammed airport bosses for not entering “meaningful talks” to sell the business, whilst confirming that they expected a further offer to be made today (Tuesday).

Unite regional officer Ian McCoulough said: “We had our final consultation meeting with the management of Kent Airport Ltd today, who were unable to give a coherent reason why the parent company, Manston Skyport Ltd, had rejected the offer.

“We will be taking legal advice to support our members in taking out grievances against the company for its abject failure to enter into meaningful talks with Unite to save the airport and the jobs of the workforce.

“The closure of the airport could also adversely affect up to 500 more jobs in the wider supply chain.

“We understand that RiverOak may be making an improved offer today. If this is not accepted, the airport will close on Thursday which will be a heavy blow for the staff and a sad day for Kent."

Original post

Member for

14 years

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Fingers crossed then.

However I very much doubt that Manston has operated as an airport for , "...almost 100 years". I recall that civil passenger and freight flights began post-World War 2 and even by my poor maths, that's nowhere near 100 years.

Duncan

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11 years 5 months

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That's not the claim. It was a military airfield and latterly military/civilian for 80 years, 1916 - 1996. After a brief hiatus it expanded as a solely civilian airport from 2000 and has remained in civilian use until now. Making 98 years.

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24 years 2 months

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Closure of Manston was the first question to the Prime Minister at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs)today in Parliament. He did not seem to have much of an answer.

"Ultimately the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the owner," David Cameron says, "but the government will do everything it can to help."

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11 years 5 months

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Well, how interesting! I must see what he said....

He said " Ultimately the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the owner," David Cameron says, "but the government will do everything it can to help."

Well he hasn't got a lot of time......!

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,788

That's not the claim. It was a military airfield and latterly military/civilian for 80 years, 1916 - 1996. After a brief hiatus it expanded as a solely civilian airport from 2000 and has remained in civilian use until now. Making 98 years.

...so not an airport for anywhere near 100 (or 80 years) then. In fact I'm fairly certain that it saw only military activity as an airfield up to the end of 1958, and joint civil airport/military airfield since then. I make that 56 years max as an airport.

Just trying to clarify an already-muddy pool.

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11 years 5 months

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No muddy pool from my perspective. Nobody is claiming neatly 100 years as an AIRPORT, as far as I am aware. The facts are just as written but do dispute them if you have different information.

Member for

21 years

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The RAF certainly operated the airfield in the 1990s. The ATC was UHF and VHF. Many times I heard USAF pilots being given the 'Dover tour' on the talkdown frequency after they had flown a few approaches. The RAF left in 1999.
mmitch.

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11 years 5 months

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Mrs Gloag has apparently rejected the latest bid for some spurious reason. She clearly never had intention to sell on to someone determined to operate it as an airport.
That's probably why she is the wealthiest businesswoman in the country.

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 802

Hmmmmm lets see an offer of 6 million against a potential profit of over 50 million when it has a thousand houses built on it, my crystal ball says it will close and it will be built on.

I have just read over on the Thanet News part of Facebook that the 6million has been turned down and it will close tomorrow.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/last-minute-manston-offer-rejected-17252/

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13 years 3 months

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Closure of Manston was the first question to the Prime Minister at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs)today in Parliament. He did not seem to have much of an answer.

"Ultimately the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the owner," David Cameron says, "but the government will do everything it can to help."

Thank God the "Government did everything they could to help".

Seems to me a certain Mr Cameron didn't know his facts. in regard to the time scale

(oops)

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11 years 5 months

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LL - Already posted above yours half an hour ago. One of the spurious reasons being most of the staff already having new jobs, which is totally untrue.
Her game plan all along so she will have achieved her aim and increased her wealth a bit more.

Member for

24 years 2 months

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Not sure what the government could do at such a late stage to be honest.

It's a shame, but if two successive companies couldn't make it work, there may just be a reason, and every reason to expect someone coming in to take it over would also be eyeing up the real estate.

Bruce

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 985

Full transcript from today's PMQs

Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet) (Con):
At the end of November, Mrs Ann Gloag, a director of the Stagecoach company, acquired Manston airport in my constituency for £1. On Budget day this year, Mrs Gloag announced that she was going into consultation with a view to closing an airport that is worth hundreds of jobs and is a major diversion field and a search and rescue base. Since then, my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Laura Sandys) and I have sought to find a buyer. Last night, the RiverOak company of Connecticut, which already has airport interests, put in an enhanced and realistic offer to keep Manston open, save the jobs, and develop the business. At present, the owners are reluctant to negotiate. I do not expect my right hon. Friend to engage in commercial negotiations, but will he seek to ensure that the Civil Aviation Agency operating licence remains open, that Manston remains open, and that further discussions are held; and will he encourage those discussions to take place?

The Prime Minister:
I know that my hon. Friend has been fighting very hard, with my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Laura Sandys), about the future of Manston airport and recognises that it has played an important role in the local economy and employed local people. Ultimately, the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the airport owner, but it is important that the Government are engaged, and I know that my right hon. Friend the Transport Secretary is engaged. He will be speaking to Mrs Gloag about this issue and also contacting RiverOak, the potential purchasers. In the end, it has to make a commercial decision, but the Government will do everything they can to help.

Member for

14 years

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No muddy pool from my perspective. Nobody is claiming neatly 100 years as an AIRPORT, as far as I am aware. The facts are just as written but do dispute them if you have different information.

Apart from the bit that says, "... Manston, which has operated as an airport for almost 100 years."

LOL

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20 years 2 months

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Who did she buy it from, for a pound?

Member for

13 years 3 months

Posts: 774

Full transcript from today's PMQs

Sir Roger Gale (North Thanet) (Con):
At the end of November, Mrs Ann Gloag, a director of the Stagecoach company, acquired Manston airport in my constituency for £1. On Budget day this year, Mrs Gloag announced that she was going into consultation with a view to closing an airport that is worth hundreds of jobs and is a major diversion field and a search and rescue base. Since then, my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Laura Sandys) and I have sought to find a buyer. Last night, the RiverOak company of Connecticut, which already has airport interests, put in an enhanced and realistic offer to keep Manston open, save the jobs, and develop the business. At present, the owners are reluctant to negotiate. I do not expect my right hon. Friend to engage in commercial negotiations, but will he seek to ensure that the Civil Aviation Agency operating licence remains open, that Manston remains open, and that further discussions are held; and will he encourage those discussions to take place?

The Prime Minister:
I know that my hon. Friend has been fighting very hard, with my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Laura Sandys), about the future of Manston airport and recognises that it has played an important role in the local economy and employed local people. Ultimately, the future of Manston remains the responsibility of the airport owner, but it is important that the Government are engaged, and I know that my right hon. Friend the Transport Secretary is engaged. He will be speaking to Mrs Gloag about this issue and also contacting RiverOak, the potential purchasers. In the end, it has to make a commercial decision, but the Government will do everything they can to help.

Lets see what happens,i unfortunately have my own conclusion, i truly hope im wrong.

The Government states that they will do everything they can to help

.Does anyone know what exactly they mean by this. and why haven't they pledged there help at an earlier stage.(correct me if im wrong as to regard of them being involved earlier)

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 9,780

They havn't pledged I guess because its a transaction between commercial companies and the future of the airfield as such is not of massive national interest! I imagine with Southend not geographically that far removed there is massive competition in the small airport sector and the running costs are marginal.

Member for

11 years 5 months

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Who did she buy it from, for a pound?

Infratil - the previous owners. Plus about £300,000 of debts and running losses of about £10,000 per day.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

I bet the losses haven't been stemmed either. With carriers moving out, the losses can have only got worse.

There really is very little the government can do on this one. Before anyone blames the current incumbents, just consider the situation at Rover. The then government didn't step in to save that either.

Sadly, I don't see a bright future for regional airports. This isn't the first failure, and won't be the last.

Bruce

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

I just hope there will be a way of preserving the two museums, which is of relevant interest to this forum. I might learn more today when I go over there.