Seahawk Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 This may be old news but it may save some people a wasted trip/deviation. When I called by last week I found the shop closed and the movable building in which it was housed up for sale. A notice in the window said that the associated airfield tours have also ceased. The shop has not been what it was for some time but its loss is still a pity: it used to do a good line in aviation and naval books, especially remaindered stuff from Maritime Books, and, when I did the airfield tour a few years back, the commentary was interesting and informative, even to a Cornishman and FAA enthusiast. No change to the viewing enclosure itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Oh what a shame,......I made a point of visiting the shop and going on the tour every time I visit Cornwall on holiday and it will be sadly missed. The owner was an ex Gannet Observer and I hope that he is OK? Cheers Tony i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlemaster Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Our shool bus was a fantastic mobile Culdrose viewing enclosure as it took us to and from Helston Comprehensive from Manaccan when the old road whent across the airstation .The sea princes were always parked on the corner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 A real shame - heard it was part of budget cuts and so on.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I fear it is part of the same thinking which has seen the possible end of the model shows at the FAA Museum. It was closed as it was not making money, which is odd as every time I visited the enclosure during the season the cafe was always busy. The shop always seemed to be treated as second class by the Museum, even to the extent that the manager discussed the possibility of me supplying them with kits as they couldn't get them from Yeovilton. A great shame and it makes me wonder what we'll hear next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I had a similar discussion about the shop where I was told that supplies from Yeovilton were hard to obtain and they seemed to get sent things that were not selling well at the main FAAM shop! I agree about the Cafe always seeming busy `in season' and the same went for the coach tours,......every one which I went on was full! If there were problems then surely it should have been retained as a seasonal venture,.....plus it was giving the Fleet Air Arm valuable PR at a time when it sorely needs it,.......as Joe Public tends to think that only the RAF fly things nowadays,.....which is almost true anyway,....at least things which have fixed wings and fly operationally at least! What a pity, Tony PS- I`ve always thought that it was a shame that the main FAAM didn`t run similar coach trips around Yeovilton,.....seems strange when they were running at Culdrose? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Given that it was off the base, why couldn't it have been run as a private venture with a decent model shop as well. I'm struggling to think of a good model shop in Cornwall, is there one? I bet somebody could have taken it on and made it pay. The trips to the base were fabulous PR for the Navy. Every time I went it was busy and the trips were often booked up days in advance. I suspect somebody 'wouldn't' make it pay rather than 'couldn't', why shut it now? What's changed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I'm struggling to think of a good model shop in Cornwall, is there one? Of course, I might be biased... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Of course, I might be biased... Oh brilliant! Next time I'm in Cornwall I shall come and pay you a visit with my holiday 'spends'. Had a look on your website, I know exactly where you are now. I'm no stranger to the county. Now here's a thought....could you take on the Culdrose premises as an outreach of the Truro shop? Possibly no tours but a teashop/model shop/gift/book shop/ viewing area would be an interesting idea ...possibly summer season only but worth getting the calculator out. Cornwall does plenty of promotion for its attractions. Just thinking aloud... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Believe me I did think about it... for about half an hour before cold reality came crashing in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 It was always busy when ever I dropped by. It must have made money, but not enough for the bean counters. £10000 for the building, but the buyer must remove it. Is that a romour about the FAA Model shows, or a possibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Sorry, it should read, rumour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 As yet it doesn't appear to have been confirmed by the museum, but it was a big topic of conversation at the Thornbury show. Certainly the people at the FAAM who were responsible for the event were made redundant back along, and we can but hope that sense will be seen and that the bean counters realise that those two shows are probably the biggest events of their winter season and bring in a hefty slice of revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted September 3, 2014 Share Posted September 3, 2014 Thank you, It's hard to believe they could stop the shows. There is always a queue to get in on both the October and February shows. Airfix have a stand showing off their upcoming releases. The museum shop does well I would have thought on both events. The competition makes money when people enter models, and the Swordfish cafe is busy all day. Anyway, after your post, I now know why I'm always handed the camera. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 The National Museum of the Royal Navy, essentially a quango, has been formed to oversee the six naval museums. There seems to be a lot of streamlining and amalgamation of services, though not, as yet, a full merger. As part of this there is no longer a marketing team at Yeovilton, hence the redundancies, and it is all administered from Portsmouth. I have no doubt that this is why the viewing enclosure shop has closed. At the moment, my understanding is that existing events are being held at the FAAM but no new ones are being arranged. So who knows, if there is a model show in February perhaps it will be held at Portsmouth... The six museums are the FAAM, NMRN Portsmouth, Royal Marines Museum, HMS Victory, RN Submarine Museum and the Exhibition of Naval Firepower. With the exception of Yeovilton, all the others are quite close geographically (Portsmouth and Gosport), and I fear that Yeovilton may be at a disadvantage because of that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm struggling to think of a good model shop in Cornwall, is there one? T7 in Truro; they have proper brown bags for your purchases (not silly plastic ones) AND there is a loyalty card! Theres a few kits there too Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboydim Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I dropped by the Culdrose viewing enclosure today. The building is still up for sale. £10000 ono. Buyer must dismantle and remove it from the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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