Kent’s Manston Airport to close on 15th May
The owners of Manston Airport say it is to close on 15th May with the loss of up to 150 jobs as a buyer has not been found. The bid by a US firm, RiverOak Investment, was rejected a few days ago, and another bid fell through in April. An airport spokesman said there had not been “a viable alternative” to allow the airport to remain open. The spokesman said Manston had also considered business proposals put forward by staff but those would have still required losses to be subsidised. The local MP, Sir Roger Gale, said the airport should have negotiated over the offers. Individual consultation will now take place with all staff members “who will be supported through this process.” In March, the airport said it was losing £10,000 a day. Several airlines have pulled out, including KLM, which ran two daily flights to Amsterdam. Local campaigners keep hoping this is not the end yet, and they are trying to keep fighting “to the bitter end.”
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Kent’s Manston Airport to close on 15 May
6.5.2014 (BBC)
Manston Airport is to close with the loss of up to 150 jobs after a buyer was not found, its owners have said.
The loss-making Kent airport will close next week after a US firm’s offer to buy the site was rejected on Monday and another bid fell through in April.
An airport spokesman said there had not been “a viable alternative” to allow the airport to remain open.
But Kent MP Sir Roger Gale said the airport should have negotiated over the offers.
Campaigners have vowed to continue fighting to keep Manston open.
Flights withdrawn
In a statement, the airport spokesman said it had also considered business proposals put forward by staff but those would have still required losses to be subsidised.
“In the absence of other options, the decision has been taken to close the airport on 15 May,” it said.
“Individual consultation will now take place with all staff members who will be supported through this process.”
Staff were told of the decision to close the airport at a meeting on Tuesday morning.
The site was bought by Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach Group, for £1 last year.
In March, the airport said it was in talks about closing because it was losing £10,000 a day.
Several airlines have pulled out, including KLM, which ran two daily flights to Amsterdam.
“We are convinced that, given more time, real progress could have been made and it is thus hugely disappointing that the decision has been taken to close it.”
US firm RiverOak Investment, which is based in Stamford, Connecticut, said it had made an offer to acquire 100% of the shares in the company that owned Manston Airport.
‘Not the end’
It said it had $350m (£206m) in assets and a successful track record of turning around “troubled operating and real estate assets”.
The company said it had developed a long-term plan to own and manage Manston as an airport.
In a statement, it said: “RiverOak is distressed to learn of the announced closure of Manston today and remains willing to engage with all parties to achieve a solution which allows the airport to continue operating and preserves the jobs of its staff.”
Wendy Fraser, group secretary of Save Manston Airport, said campaigners would be stepping up their campaign to keep the airport open
“We’ll fight to reopen it if it does close, and we will not let this be made into anything but an airport,” she said.
Founder of the campaign group Dan Light added: “I believe that something can be done. I mean, it’s not the end yet. It may look like it is, but we’re going to fight to the bitter end.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-27294532
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A formal offer to buy Manston Airport is rejected
5.5.2014 (BBC)
A formal offer to buy a Kent airport threatened with closure has been rejected by its owners.
Manston Airport said a conditional written offer submitted on Sunday had been turned down.
North Thanet MP Sir Roger Gale, who revealed the offer had been made, earlier said he believed it was viable and and hoped it would succeed.
“The basis of this proposal had been put to shareholders verbally on Friday and rejected,” the airport said.
“There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that some of those associated with the offer have approached the shareholders previously and have consistently failed to substantiate their proposals.
“We have clearly demonstrated our willingness to consider credible and viable offers and have engaged with a range of interested parties over the last couple of months which unfortunately have not come to fruition.”
‘Distress and concern’
Scottish businesswoman Ann Gloag, who co-founded the Stagecoach Group, bought Manston Airport for £1 last year.
In March, the airport said it was in talks about closing because it was losing £10,000 a day.
Several airlines have taken their business elsewhere, including KLM, which ran two daily flights to Amsterdam.
Newmarket Holidays, which offers flights to Verona and Naples in Italy, said it would move its Kent departures from Manston to Lydd airport from June.
Conservative Sir Roger said in a statement on Sunday the future of Manston was causing distress and concern to the 150 people employed at the site.
An offer from an unnamed potential buyer in April was subsequently withdrawn.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-27282235
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