Do this now!!!!
 

I URGE ALL MEMBERS TO DO THIS NOW...

:mad:The NRM is under threat of potential closure - apparently the Science Museum group needs to find around £6m a year in savings and the options include closing the NRM, the Museum of Science & Industry or the Bradford National Media Museum. Please sign the e-petition against closing the NRM at:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/indepth/savethenrm/petition/ or https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...way-museum-nrm

For the petition to save the MOSI:

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitio...-industry-mosi

Tony

I have signed the petition, but there are not nearly enough names on it. Please add your name.

When I signed, there was only about 6,500 on the Change petition - WE NEED MORE! The MOSI petition has many more than the NRM (over 20,000) & I'm not sure why this is - not that I want either to close.

Tony

It's done.

I have also just signed it Tony, all the best.

Added my name too.

As much as this in good taste, only the smaller branches of the Science Museum group are ever likely to close. The NRM is not in any danger whatsoever, and realistically, the low numbers of signatures on the petition show that compared to MOSI which is far more likely to close down.
Has anyone considered that Shildon is more likely to close than York?
The whole campaign is not credible I am afraid, and it was started by someone who did not know all the facts. It simply does not add up.

I am very pleased by the concern of many members, but I think that we have nothing to fear.

PERSONALLY

I think that this was started as a scare tactic and also to test the water as to whether or not to start charging entrance fees

There have been lots of comments as to people saying they would pay but also that they would prefer to pay to get in then to get cheaper inside (shops and cafes) and I am not referring to just this forum

Methinks there's a lot of truth in the two posts by SFE and Gray. I think the threats of closure could also be a ploy by the Science Museum to get the politicians to make the planned budget cuts less severe than was intended.

I suppose this means that the scheme for another arm of the NRM at Leicester might get shelved, which would be a pity,although I've not heard anything mentioned about it.

At the end of it all I think we will just have to get used to paying to get in like we used to do

Two things, really.
One, these scare stories are mainly political either by main parties trying to upset the "popularity" of others or by the authorities who have to do something which will bother someone, somewhere. Their tactic is simple. Declare to have to (for example) close 20, wait for the screams of indignation, then declare you now find you need close "only" 10. Everyone thinks how successful they have been in "saving" 10 and now "only" 10 will close. All along the the target was 10 but if that had been announced then the cries would have been to save all 10 !! It happens all too often.
Secondly, personally, I never add my name to any on-line petition however deserving. You just don't know who is interested in learning about your interests - and I'm not referring to GCHQ. I try to keep myself as far away from prying commercial eyes as possible and I'm not adding to their data bases. (GCHQ doesn't bother me in that respect as it is principally devoted to keeping me safe so I will abide by its actions.)

I see your point, but I can't see how letting anyone know you are interested in railways could be to your disadvantage ?:D

Done it this morning.

Done and dusted.
mickey

I have to admit that I was sceptical when I first heard about it and thought that it would never happen. Then I read the article in Steam Railway and the quotes from the man at the Science Museum Group - he was directly asked if this was an empty threat for political reasons and he said they believed the threat of closure to be a serious option. That said, they didn't have the full figures at that stage and therefore the cuts may not be as bad as feared, so it is good to read the quote from Ed Vaizey. I didn't mean to be alarmist by starting this thread and I think it's still worthwhile to add names to the petition (but of course don't do it if you feel strongly opposed to doing so!) Reading Ed Vaizey's quote does suggest that we have nothing to fear though - let's hope this is the case.

Tony

Last person I would believe is a politician.

Just seen this re museum closure threats.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23143064