Re: More comments on 'the dispute'...

There was a time when, for a modest entrance charge, one could visit
Bletchley Park and see ALL the exhibits.  This included not only Colossus
and other decoding equipment but also  'private' collections which were
assembled in a room and in themselves were a very interesting.  There were
also other societies with, perhaps, only a loose connection with Bletchley
Park but which together gave added value (interest) to the visit.  These
included a cinema with examples of war-time equipment and an army unit
(?Bedfordshire ...) and the Motor Transport (MT) sheds.  It was a good 
whole-day visit.  In contrast the entrance charge is now a whopping £15 for 
which there is far less to see and a reduced walking tour not forgetting the 
additional £5 to see the National Museum of Computing - which has limited 
opening times..

Not so long ago the Board headed by Christine Large tried to force big
changes (described at the time as making Bletchley Park into a Disney
attraction).  Thankfully this was thwarted with Christine Large sinking into
obscurity.  It would seem that the devil, in the form of the present Board
of Trustees, has risen again

What a way to run a visitor attraction?  The people who head up the
organisation are disengaged with the corps of volunteers force and want to 
impose their view no matter what.  They seemingly don't want to lower 
themselves to seek advice from those below them who may just have a better 
idea?  The corps of volunteers are the beating heart of the organisation. 
It is they who give voice from their experience to what otherwise would be a 
very dull collection of artefacts and explanation boards.  If the corps of 
volunteers were to withdraw their labour Bletchley Park would, possibly, be 
in dire straits.  The volunteers would have to be replaced (at great 
expense) with people who know little or nothing about Bletchley Park who 
would just be reading a script on a "if it's not there I don't know" basis. 
All that would have a knock-on effect on visitor numbers.  The Board need to 
and should recognise and give volunteers credit for their usefulness not 
treat them like dirt and not take them for granted and trade on their 
loyalty.

How can the story of Bletchley Park be told fully when the code-breaking
side of the story is physically separated from the computing side of the
story and when Colossus is physically separated from the Bombe?  They are
integrally connected.  It is, simply, not logical or practical!  Visitors
who genuinely want to be educated (and entertained) are being sold (at great
expense) only part of the story.

Whilst I still have an interest I don't envisage visiting again in the near 
future. I wonder how many others are of a like mind?

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway



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