Over 20,000 people sign petition to save Cornwall's Aviation Heritage Centre
Bosses say they have received a raft of response from across the UK
Last updated 4th Oct 2022
More than 20,000 people have signed a petition to save Cornwall's Aviation Heritage Centre and the number is still climbing.
Bosses say they are being forced to close, after the council terminated the lease on the site at Cornwall Airport Newquay.
The authority says it is reviewing the use of the land subsidised by taxpayers to ensure they are getting value for money, adding that finding a new site "remains the responsibility of the centre".
Speaking about the petition, Director Ian Watkins said: "We are proud but humbled by the amazing support for our petition.
"Most signatures are local people, but many are from the rest of the UK and even around the world.
"People now come to Cornwall to visit our heritage centre; we've had them fly in from Gatwick just for the day!"
The Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre says that after making enquiries with other tenants, it is the only one being asked to leave.
It has also insisted that it entered into its original lease in 2015 knowing it would they would have to leave in a few years.
Bosses say negotiations to renew their lease for a further 10 years were ongoing right up to a meeting in October 2021.
Director Richard Spencer-Breeze said: "The October '21 meeting with the council was called to finally agree terms for our new 10 year lease. We expected it to be a landmark day for us, not a death sentence.
"We've got three years' worth of correspondence with the council about renewing the lease on record, including three different lease offers from them".
Richard added that the reams of correspondence were enough to fill a wheelbarrow.
In a statement released in September, Cornwall Council said: "Cornwall Airport Newquay is an operational airport which is vital to the region's connectivity to the UK. It is currently subsidised by the Cornish taxpayer and Cornwall Council is committed to develop the airport in a way which minimises this subsidy and continues to develop the site as a key part of Cornwall’s transport and business infrastructure.
"As part of this work, the council is reviewing the use of the land at the airport site to ensure the taxpayer is getting the maximum value for money from it and to increase the economic benefit and professional employment opportunities for Cornwall.
"Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (CAHC) has been a tenant at Newquay Airport since 2015. They signed a disclaimer at that point acknowledging there was no right of renewal when its lease expired in 2021. However, in order to assist the centre to find a new site, the Council extended the lease by a further 12 months.
"Cornwall Council and Cornwall Airport Newquay are not responsible for the operation of a private business and securing a site on which to operate is the responsibility of the management of the centre.
"Cornwall Council has made it clear to CAHC that we will consider assisting them to move to a new location when a credible, costed and deliverable proposal has been developed. However, this remains the responsibility of the centre".
You can read more about Cornwall's Aviation Heritage Centre on the petition website.
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