<<I assume you have a problem with the appointment?>>
Quoted message said:(snipped)
Despite their clumsy nature, Mr Ridgway's statements bear further
comment and should be taken seriously.
My house adjoins Bletchley Park and I have visited the place on many
occasions. Five or six years ago it had the potential to become one of
Britain's leading heritage sites, having been saved from development as
a large housing estate. It contained a very diverse collection of small
specialist museums providing a fascinating day out for a family. It was
well on the way to securing its future and had costed plans for the
stabilisation and gradual refurbishment of the site.
Under the "leadership" of Christine Large, management incompetence and
directorial ineptidude on a grand scale saw Bletchley Park deteriorate
to its present sorry situation. De-motivation of staff led to high
turnover of personnel and the mass exodus of the many volunteers who
actually made the place work.
Her treatment of the official archivist was the most outrageous and
despicable example of constructive dismissal I have ever seen, and
surpassed even her long-running and vindictive vendetta against the
museum's founder and original curator.
Most of the site has now been sold off for development to pay off
debts, and many of the museums have been forced to leave. What remains
is an old mansion building available for small scale corporate events,
and a small museum dedicated to the cryptographic work for which
Bletchley is now famous. This relies for its trade on the peculiarly
British fascination with World War 2 - principally a nostalgia market
with a rapidly declining potential clientele (most of them are in their
80's) and its principal purpose is to provide a "brand image" for the
conference business.
Forewarned is forearmed - I advise the staff and voluntary officials of
the Association to watch their backs very carefully, and its members to
keep the executive under extremely close scrutiny from now on.
Of course, one should always take anonymous comments posted to a
newsgroup with a large pinch of sceptical salt. I therefore invite you
to save this message for future contemplation. You'll see...
