It appears I’ve been labeled a Manston “sceptic.”
When I offered my support to locals making the trek to the House of Commons for a select committee inquiry, I was told “thanks” but “I seem to remember you are a sceptic where Manston is concerned!”
Listening to the House of Commons inquiry, it’s a pity there weren’t more sceptics.
To be clear, I have always been 200% supportive of Manston.
Long before Ms. Gloag landed on the scene, I was jetting off with EU Jet as much as my decidedly non-jet set lifestyle would allow. When Ms. Gloag took over and ran the airport into the ground with a paltry marketing effort and impractical schedules that made flying to Rome a long-haul venture with prices to match, I began to question how the business could survive. I asked why there wasn’t an effort to cater the airport to the needs of the people who would use it.
More to the point, I questioned why such an amateurish effort was coming from one of our nation’s most successful businesswomen – the founder of Stagecoach - after purchasing this vast tract of land for £1, and then refusing to give any media interviews?
Yes, I grew sceptical.
The airport was opened and closed faster than even I could have imagined. And now, Thanet MP, Sir Roger Gale, is questioning Ms. Gloag’s true intentions.
It’s Mr. Gale’s belief, he told MPs last week, that the company had “every intention of turning it into an asset-stripping company.”
With the notoriously reserved Ms. Gloag failing to grace MPs with her presence, it was left to a co-director to defend how the company had really really tried very very hard you know, but the airport was losing £10,000 to £12,000 a day.
All told, the losses amounted to £4.5 million before the site was shut, she told parliamentarians.
It’s more than £1 – but even £4.5 million isn’t bad for a mass of prime real estate set to become a £1 billion redevelopment.
Sceptical? No I’m downright cynical!
Sceptical? No I’m downright cynical!
Jules Serkin.
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