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BBC News
24-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Protecting Old Sarum Airfield is about 'protecting our heritage'
Protecting the hangars on an historic airfield after one was gutted by a huge fire is a matter of safeguarding "our national heritage," according to the proprietor of a collection of vintage blaze destroyed the Grade II*-listed hangar three and the neighbouring cafe at Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on the evening of 17 Sharpe, of the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, said his first response to the news was "absolute panic" followed by sadness at the loss of people's collection is housed in a neighbouring hangar, but he warned all of the buildings are of the same World War One-era design and could be vulnerable to fire. Speaking to BBC West, Mr Sharpe said: "My immediate reaction was absolute panic."(Colleagues) calmed my down by saying its hanger three, so I suppose my reaction was considerable relief, but then also a certain amount of sadness - people's livelihoods were going up in smoke."He continued: "They are old buildings, we all know the problems with them, but also the number left in the UK now are reduced by another pair and that's really sad.""It's really concerning because the building that we occupy is exactly the same as the one that went up in flames." Mr Sharpe said he and colleagues are now debating whether or not the fire safety systems are sufficient to protect the collection."(We have) a lot of aircraft that are one-offs and if they go they can't be replaced, it's as simple as that."We have to do what ever we can to protect what is effectively our national heritage." Gordon Blamire, founder of Go Skydive, which has the site adjacent to Hangar three and the cafe, was driving back from Heathrow Airport when he heard the news of the said his initial feeling was one of "helplessness"."I got here just as the last of the fire was burning," he said."We just went straight into 'how do we resolve things' - no one was hurt and that's a great starting place." Some of Mr Blamire's staff were still on-site when the fire broke out and were able to rescue some of the Blamire said the business was fortunate because "we are in a place where we've got aircraft and we've got parachutes and we are in a position to carry on operating"."Resilience is a key part of this business, we are going to rebuild and will be open again by Friday," he fire broke out just a week after developers - Old Sarum Airfield Ltd - were given the go-ahead for up to 315 homes to be built there following a battle for permission. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has said its investigations "are likely to carry on well into next week".
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
North Somerset Council could auction empty shops leases
A council has been granted the power to auction the lease of empty shops, in a bid to revive its high Somerset Council is one of eight local authorities in the UK that can use High Street Rental Auction powers, if a retail space remains empty for a year and landlords do not take steps to let are now plans to put this into practice in Weston-super-Mare, Nailsea and Mark Canniford told BBC West: "We want to get empty properties let again, so people can have their high streets back." The council must first designate town centre zones to decide where the powers can be will include some public engagement on the plans, expected before summer. Portishead will not be included in the plans initially, but North Somerset Council admitted this could change in future."Other businesses suffer because landlords will not let or allow new businesses to open up in their premises," Mr Canniford explained."People want these spaces, they just can't afford the space at the rates the landlords are looking for, so we need to look at what is a realistic rent." Paul Batts, a local business owner and chairman for Weston Business Improvement District (BID) has an empty shop opposite his own."It's quite an eyesore in a small narrow street, so it isn't really what you want to see. People might look at it and think the street doesn't look very nice and be put off walking further."Reacting to the plans, Mr Batts said: "There'll be some landlords who think it's great they'll be able to get some help, and there'll be some longstanding ones who really don't seem to be bothered and that's a shame."That's when it's down to North Somerset Council to pursue it and get those buildings filled."
