"Qwight" wrote in message
...

On Fri, 23 May 2014 13:05:03 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Fri, 23 May 2014 10:30:54 +0100, "Bob Hobden" wrote:

"'Mike'" wrote

Shot themselves in the foot by the new entry charges system?

http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/dono...den-59288.aspx


From what I can see it's £6.25 for Seniors with free parking, that is so
cheap these days.
Kew is £14 each plus £7 for the car park at Brentford Gate.
So even if you go for only a couple of hours it would cost two people £33
instead of £12.50 at VBG.

That says more about London prices than anything.

Entrance to Sheffield Botanic Gardens appears to be free.

B'ham Botanic Gardens charges £22 for a family and £4.75 each for
concessions -
OAPs, children over 5, and students. Concession in a group are charged £4
each.

Dutch University Hortus Botanicus
Amsterdam charges £7/adult
Concessions £4
Leiden charges £5.50/adult
Concessions £2.40
Students 80p

All Botanic gardens cost a great deal to run. That cost is
inescapable. The price they charge at the gate depends entirely on how
much subsidy they get from other sources - local council, university
etc.

The Ventnor Botanic Garden was operated by the local council who paid
all the operating costs. The council decided they couldn't afford it
any more and dropped it entirely, which would have meant its closure.
Fortunately a group was formed to take it over and pay the running
costs, which in the absence of any outside funds means an entry fee of
several pounds.

Naturally a few locals like Mike with small brains and loud mouths
think that they previously had it 'free' when in fact they paid
through their council tax whether they actually went there or not.
They now think they should continue to have it for free, without
considering how much it costs to run.

I've been there many times - it's a great place woth coming to the
Isle of Wight and to see. The entry cost is the same or less than most
large visitor attractions on the Island.

And those who say it was previously free choose to ignore that in
addition to the Council tax there was a disguised entry fee because
you had to pay to park there - several pounds if you spent half a day.
Parking is now free - included in the entry fee.

Mike likes to bang on about the theatre where he goes to watch the
volunteers working. Most of the people working at the Ventnor Botanic
Garden are in fact volunteers who do so because they love the place.

But Mike gets so confused with facts, so he'll carry on as usual with
the few other old fools who use the local paper's web site to work out
their personal frustrations on anything in the news. In that respect
the County Press web site is a very useful public service.
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Long time since you took a swipe at me. Feel better now?

Jolly good :-)

Kindest regards. Don't go out you will get wet.

Mike

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www.friendsofshanklintheatre.co.uk