Northumberland Archives

[geordiesue]

An update on the current car parking situation for Archive users at the Woodhorn Museum site:

Archive users will be offered a £7 membership to the Trust when they arrive on site - for regular users this will be the best option.

The Trust has now introduced a new one off car parking charge of £5. This will be the most suitable option for one-off visitors, including overseas visitors who don't intend to return within one year. This charge will allow entrance to both the Archive and Museum.

Archive users who arrive on foot with no requirement to park a vehicle will be granted free access to the Archive only. We have been asked to escort Archive users to the Study Centre - please await arrival of a member of the Archives team at the hut.

[2zpool]

So if you drive and park there it is £5 fee every time you go or is it a £7 fee for a year membership?

If you don't drive--either walked, rode a bike from Ashington or took a taxi (car hire?) you don't have to pay to get into the grounds but have to wait (hopefully somewhere that has a roof and at least one wall) for someone to have the time to walk across the whole campus to escort you to the Study Center.

Do you have to escort the non car parkers OUT of the Study Center?  G-d forbid someone should look in one of the other buildings.

Going to the Archives at Woodhorn is already an arduous journey if you don't have a car to be greeted by someone who had to drop what they were doing to and come and get you. Hopefully this has not made them surly.

Common sense is so passé

Janis
 

[c-side]

It's £7 for a year's entry to musem and archives or, if you are only likely to visit once then it's £5 parking fee.  Plus there is a £7 per annum Trust membership for those who only visit the archives.

This is an update on the 'new' system set up on 10th February where everyone paid £7 per year.  Some were complaining about having to pay to enter a public building when I was at the archives on Wednesday.  Others have been seen walking away when they arrive at the museum and discover that everyone over 16 has to pay £7.  Hence the changes.

We are not sure about the escort out or whether these 'walking' researchers can use the cafe (unescorted) or what happens if they bring sandwiches and have to eat them outside.  Asked but not yet answered!

[geordiesue]

It's £7 for a year's entry to musem and archives or, if you are only likely to visit once then it's £5 parking fee.  Plus there is a £7 per annum Trust membership for those who only visit the archives.

This is an update on the 'new' system set up on 10th February where everyone paid £7 per year.  Some were complaining about having to pay to enter a public building when I was at the archives on Wednesday.  Others have been seen walking away when they arrive at the museum and discover that everyone over 16 has to pay £7.  Hence the changes.

We are not sure about the escort out or whether these 'walking' researchers can use the cafe (unescorted) or what happens if they bring sandwiches and have to eat them outside.  Asked but not yet answered!

Hi Christine

My hubby had the old members card for the Archives which they used to issue you with but could`nt find it so he rang and they said to bring down the usual documents ie:passport etc to get a new one. This was on the 22nd Feb. He was a walker but wasn`t escorted The last membership was free but now they charge £7 for yearly membership. The £7 isn`t too bad to pay to help pay security, wages etc

When they say wait at the hut for someone to escort you. Do they mean the security hut or the little reception near the car park? I know that normally there never seems to be anyone in there. Do they now have someone there that sends up to the Archives to escort you as I cant see them wanting to go back and forth the car park is a fair distance to walk to the archives. I cant see that lasting for long as they always seem to be short staffed 

[2zpool]

Maybe if they collect enough they could get a golf cart.  Any way you look at it it is a fair distance.

Janis

[c-side]

My hubby had the old members card for the Archives which they used to issue you with but could`nt find it so he rang and they said to bring down the usual documents ie:passport etc to get a new one.

I think that you are referring to a readers card - they moved over to the generally used CARN card a while back.  This isn’t affected by access charges - readers cards are free.

Prior to 10th February everyone paid £3.50 for parking with free access to the museum and archives. In addition there was a charge for entry to special exhibitions.  After that date the parking charge was dropped as was the additional charge for special exhibitions.  They were replaced by a once a year payment of £7 (£6 for concessions).  It doesn’t take much to realise that two trips to the archives and/or museum would cover this charge - any more visits is a bonus!  But then came the objections……

As for the hut - the old one on the way into the car park is no longer used.  There is now a much smaller one just outside the entrance to the site from the car park.  This is where you pay or show your existing ticket and, presumably, where you would wait for an escort.  There is no shelter.

As you say, Janis, whichever way you look at it someone is taking time out of their working day to walk downstairs and out to the gate and back again just to act as an escort.

[davidft]

I don't think the Archives have made it very clear what fee is for what purpose. Reading these two links

http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/admission/

http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/file/uploaded/FAQs%20for%20Woodhorn%20Museum%20visitors%2015%20Jan%202018.pdf

You might think there is a fee of £7 an adult or £7 per family. They also claim that they will claim Gift Aid on your admission, worth £1.75 extra on top of every £7 adult ticket. However for a body to claim gift aid they usually have to sign to say they have paid tax and not everybidy does so in that instance what happens to they have to by £8.75 rather than £7. Also if they let some people only pay £6.50 then they should not claim £1.75 gift aid. In short its all a bit of a mess in my opinion and I can see why people have complained.

I hope they sort it out and make their policy clearer for everybody.

[c-side]

What hasn't been mentioned yet is the real crux of the problem.  The archives are now run by a different organisation to the museum but to get into the archives you have to walk through the museum grounds and the main building.  If the operators of the museum decide to charge for entry to their grounds (which is what has happened) there is little that the archives can do about it.

I feel sorry for the staff who have to operate all these different options and for those of us who have to stand in a queue while they are explained to visitors!

[Mr. Tibbs]

I've given up.  If I can't find what I want at Tyne and Wear Archives or NDFHS-Percy House and it's not online, I leave it.  It's a shame but after an hour's journey though heavy traffic and roadworks, the last thing you want is more obstacles.  I live in hope that sensible people with some vision will put their heads together and find a solution that will work and continue to work.