I was shocked when I looked at visiting the two fairly local organisations to watch an airshow.  The standard daily entrance fee was £49.50 per adult at both locations.

Now I know it's been a long time since we last went, probably 8 or more years, but even back then the fees were more reasonable, and offered concessions for OAP's, and for those on benefits.  Nothing was glaringly obvious on their websites regarding concessions.  Children were classed as 15 or less, so if two adults and two 16 year olds went to watch a display that's almost £200, plus petrol, food, programs, etc so not much change out of £300 !!  And the organisers wonder why they have problems with people parking up around the parameters causing congestion on the local roads as they watch the flying for free !     

Same as it ever was. We often look back to how much things used to cost and forget how much inflation has eroded the value of our money or even the average hourly wage of the time we think back to.
I always remember my parents telling me they couldn't afford to take us to things like this when I was a kid because they were too expensive and that was donkeys years ago. 

Plus I'm sure putting on one of these shows costs a fortune nowadays; especially if you can't rely on an army of volunteers. Just back of an envelope: you've got insurance, security, venue staff, portable toilets, fencing/idiot-proofing, clean-up afterwards and rubbish disposal, publicity, staff that plan and organise all this stuff, who knows what fees (licenses) have to be paid to councils/police forces etc.
That's all before the costs of the displays themselves.

At the same time, think about how much people pay to go and watch Premier League football or an F1 race or a night at a theatre.

Hobbies are expensive and always have been.
It's sad you can't cheaply take a family with older kids to events like this but by that age I'm sure they are pretty certain about whether they want to attend an event like this anyway so you'd have a good idea if you were wasting your money.

Quote from: NScaleNotes on August 12, 2024, 07:20:13 PMSame as it ever was. We often look back to how much things used to cost and forget how much inflation has eroded the value of our money or even the average hourly wage of the time we think back to.
I always remember my parents telling me they couldn't afford to take us to things like this when I was a kid because they were too expensive and that was donkeys years ago. 

Plus I'm sure putting on one of these shows costs a fortune nowadays; especially if you can't rely on an army of volunteers. Just back of an envelope: you've got insurance, security, venue staff, portable toilets, fencing/idiot-proofing, clean-up afterwards and rubbish disposal, publicity, staff that plan and organise all this stuff, who knows what fees (licenses) have to be paid to councils/police forces etc.
That's all before the costs of the displays themselves.

At the same time, think about how much people pay to go and watch Premier League football or an F1 race or a night at a theatre.

Hobbies are expensive and always have been.
It's sad you can't cheaply take a family with older kids to events like this but by that age I'm sure they are pretty certain about whether they want to attend an event like this anyway so you'd have a good idea if you were wasting your money.

You've also got fuel costs that are double what they were a few years ago for the aircraft. Insurance has gone through the roof thanks to a certain individual, and for some airshows local roads need to be closed. CAA fees have increased as well I believe.

To get into Duxford on a normal day is £26.80 or £29.50 with optional donation - the airshow costs an extra £20, which is pretty good value. Shuttleworth is £15.50 (though the ticket is valid for a month if bought in advance), and the airshows are generally £38. Again, just over £20 extra for about 5 hours of flying.

Yes, they are quite expensive compared to a few years ago, but what isn't. And it's not like they're rolling in cash either - Duxford was bailed out to the tune of millions of pounds during Covid. A lot of airshows sell out or get very close to it, so people still want to go and are still willing to pay.

You only have to look at the amount of shows that have fallen by the wayside in recent years to see that it isn't a cash cow. RIAT is the only military one left, all of the other RAF/Navy ones have gone. Seaside shows are disappearing. Scotland didn't have any shows, free or with entrance fee, for a couple of years and now only has Ayr in September. Wales only has Swansea and Rhyl, and the latter is nothing to write home about generally and has been cancelled this year due to the lack of Red Arrows anyway.

If you want a reasonably cheap show then Little Gransden near Sandy on 25th August is worth a visit. £60 for a family ticket (2A+2C). Lancaster, B-17, Jet Pitts, and a very rare appearance by the Airco DH.9 from Duxford are probably the highlights.

Blackpool last weekend... completely free.
Featured among a lot of other stuff Red Arrows both days, Typhoon, a couple of other formation display teams, Catalina "hes not allowed to land on the water" (but certainly got the hull wet...) Fairey Swordfish...

Clacton is also free-usually has Red Arrows (not this year-they are in Canada) and BoB flight (if Merlin problems get sorted).  Also FAA (museum) and current RAF aircraft, as well as privately owned.  I think Southend is also free

But yes, all days out now seem expensive; but then my income (salary, but now pension) has also gone up, though not on a matching scale!

Martyn

I think it's the same everywhere - certainly is here!

Completely agree!
I stopped going to many of the large shows at Alexandra Palace and Birmingham due to the hike in parking costs, expensive entry, and with London the congestion charge; the train to London is also very expensive even with a senior railcard.
I've been going to local shows where parking is usually free, and the entry is under £10, but not not often with concessions these days. The furthest I travel is TINGS, and this is probably the most expensive show entry for me. The GETS will be on my list for visiting, but this will depend on ticket prices remaining within my budget.
These are just my views, and reflect how I plan use of my pension!
Cheers!

At least you get one - I've just putting in a third claim for a state pension.

Apparently I'm too well off. My backside I am. I just expect something for working all me life. Anyway I'm getting close to a political rant, so I'll bow out.

Quote from: 5944 on August 12, 2024, 07:46:31 PMIf you want a reasonably cheap show then Little Gransden near Sandy on 25th August is worth a visit. £60 for a family ticket (2A+2C). Lancaster, B-17, Jet Pitts, and a very rare appearance by the Airco DH.9 from Duxford are probably the highlights.

We stumbled on Little Gradsden back in the days when entrance was per car, and £10 got you in on the day with no need for advanced tickets     But yes a family ticket for £60 is very reasonable in this day and age.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with the math most of you have mentioned and £20 extra for a flying day doesn't seem too much extra to pay, and yes everything has gone up. I wouldn't know about football matches as I don't follow football, but in recent days the £200 price tag to see a certain pop star has been questioned, and there was something about F1 when we hosted the British GP as weekend tickets were the cost of a week in Spain.

Someone mentioned being pensionable age, and that raises another point.  At the time of my last visit to Duxford I found myself unemployed, and they had a long list of concession prices  for those over 60, students (with proof), disabled (with proof), and for anyone on JSA/ESA benefits (again with proof).  I searched for ages on the Duxford website and other than a reference to blue badge holders I couldn't find anything regarding the other concessions they used to cater for.



 

The Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford is £75 per person per day (Fri-Sun).
Not including food (£30 for two gyros pitta and two cokes) and evening meal and B&B in nearby Cirencester (£100 + £250).

But the display is 7 1/2 hours long.

Swings and roundabouts?

Quote from: Malc-c on August 13, 2024, 11:19:48 AMSomeone mentioned being pensionable age, and that raises another point.  At the time of my last visit to Duxford I found myself unemployed, and they had a long list of concession prices  for those over 60, students (with proof), disabled (with proof), and for anyone on JSA/ESA benefits (again with proof).  I searched for ages on the Duxford website and other than a reference to blue badge holders I couldn't find anything regarding the other concessions they used to cater for.

Why would their website mention concessions they used to offer? That's a bit "here's what you could have won..." surely?

We're very lucky in the UK to have a lot of free galleries/museums. Of course many are in major cities, and there'll be wailing about how much it costs to visit those. Most major airshows have always been expensive. I can't remember what I paid to get into Farnborough ~15 years ago, but it wasn't cheap, and whilst there's more pressure on personal finances I'm not sure there's really been a step change in a lot of these things.

I was shocked when I visited London a year ago to learn that you have to pay to visit St. Paul's cathedral. It used to be free, like most churches.

Some time back (probably 20 years) in the UK there was a bit of a tipping point where public museums and galleries started considering an entry fee to cover costs. Some did but then were blindsided by a new government funding scheme that gave them grants as long as they weren't charging an entry fee. (I think 'suggested donation' ones like the NRM were ok).

Quote from: njee20 on August 13, 2024, 03:15:37 PMWhy would their website mention concessions they used to offer? That's a bit "here's what you could have won..." surely?

You have missed the point.  The point I was trying to make was that they now have stopped offering those concessions.  At the time when they did, the savings were quite substantial and not just a quid off the full entry price. 

To some people spending a few hundred pounds for a family day out seems to be acceptable - but then I guess it's relative to your income.  I know some people who are comfortably off in retirement and such a pay out wouldn't cause them any issues, equally I know others who are on state pension, and whilst they would love to take their family to an air show, but at the cost of 1/3rd their monthly income !

You are right of course, organisers are under no obligation to offer concessions.  And I dare say the argument for rising costs to put on such a show has some grounding. But seeing that 33,000 people attended the same show last year, that would mean around £1.6m in ticket sales alone, and I'm sure that the didn't just brake even.  Their annual report makes for interesting reading

QuoteThe net resources for this year, after accounting for depreciation but excluding revaluation changes, showed an inflow of £12.894 million, representing a year-on-year increase of £4.178 million. In the previous year, the funds had increased by a total of £6.433 million.

Those figures are NET after costs... £4.178 million profit each year is nice to have  Maybe  they could afford to offer concession pricing afterall     

Quote from: Malc-c on August 14, 2024, 01:00:05 PM

Quote from: njee20 on August 13, 2024, 03:15:37 PMWhy would their website mention concessions they used to offer? That's a bit "here's what you could have won..." surely?

You have missed the point.  The point I was trying to make was that they now have stopped offering those concessions.  At the time when they did, the savings were quite substantial and not just a quid off the full entry price. 

To some people spending a few hundred pounds for a family day out seems to be acceptable - but then I guess it's relative to your income.  I know some people who are comfortably off in retirement and such a pay out wouldn't cause them any issues, equally I know others who are on state pension, and whilst they would love to take their family to an air show, but at the cost of 1/3rd their monthly income !

You are right of course, organisers are under no obligation to offer concessions.  And I dare say the argument for rising costs to put on such a show has some grounding. But seeing that 33,000 people attended the same show last year, that would mean around £1.6m in ticket sales alone, and I'm sure that the didn't just brake even.  Their annual report makes for interesting reading

QuoteThe net resources for this year, after accounting for depreciation but excluding revaluation changes, showed an inflow of £12.894 million, representing a year-on-year increase of £4.178 million. In the previous year, the funds had increased by a total of £6.433 million.

Those figures are NET after costs... £4.178 million profit each year is nice to have  Maybe  they could afford to offer concession pricing afterall   

Are we talking about an IWM airshow here?

If so, you do realise that it's a charity and that the money you call profit goes into a fund that ensures the museums can stay operational if for whatever reason their revenue drops?

A £20 million fund equates to 4.8 months of operational expenditure!


I get your frustration about the cost of taking a family out but all attractions are under the same inflationary financial pressure that we as individuals are.
Public sector funding for many attractions, if it was ever received in the first place, is being severely cut, on top of that visitor numbers are down because everyone is feeling the pinch and costs have skyrocketed.

I've noticed that at many attractions/events the majority of visitors do tend to fall into a concessionary group (for various reasons) so these are being cut everywhere because attractions/events can no longer afford to provide them, it's not some money grabbing conspiracy.

If running attractions and events like airshows was as profitable as you seem to think they are, there would be all kinds of venture capital firms clambering to run them.