Free open day celebrates valued airfield

VISITORS to Wellesbourne Airfield are being invited to indulge their passion for aviation at a special free open day on Sunday.

Between 10am and 4pm people will be able to visit the control tower, peep into the iconic Vulcan bomber, explore the hangars and flying schools on the site and pick up information about trial lessons and learning to fly.

There will also be a barbeque and cream teas on offer, while customers can relax and enjoy watching the aircraft take off and land from the Touchdown Café.

Frankie Stuart, who works in the tower at the airfield, said: “These open days have always proved very popular, we’ve done them for years.

“I think the Vulcan and the tower will be the most popular parts but the museum will offer half price entry too and we will have a free mini bus to take people to Heliair, where there will be a hangar open.

“This is a wonderful day out, people can come and see an amazing general aviation airfield close to where they live.”

With so much speculation regarding the airfield’s future in recent months, the open day will give visitors the chance to take a look at how the airfield runs and learn about the businesses on the site.

Earlier this year the final version of Stratford District Council’s Core Strategy document, specified that the airfield should be retained and enhanced.

If the Core Strategy is adopted as expected this summer, it would pose a huge legal obstacle to developers who wish to develop the airfield site into housing.