Do you have this one, and more importantly is it any use to you?

Unless it has changed from my last visit the shop and café are entirely separate, the shop (in line with sound museum policy) is the way in and out of the site; I can sympathise with Jeepman, but I also know what it’s like to be the last man on site, and not only responsible for the security of the whole museum site, but mindful that you are on your own if anything untoward were to happen. (clearly not suggesting that in this case)

Common sense (remember that) dictates that it is pointless allowing entry to a museum site as a whole so close to closing, (obviously it takes hours to walk around) but a shop is a shop and even a last minute purchase can be of real value to a small museum; our own policy was to never have just one person alone on site at closing time, especially at this time of year.

The bank analogy occurred to me also, they have set business hours, but will also put someone on the door 15 minutes before close to stop people coming in; very frustrating if you have driven at breakneck speed to get there on time, in the knowledge that your transaction will only take a few minutes.

This forum has been guilty of “bashing” the Kent Battle of Britain museum in the past, very few people have stood up for them; perhaps a little balance is required.

It does look suspiciously like someone has been snipping out little patches from that panel, to use for an unspecified purpose very neat cuts (tin snips) and all in between the rivet lines ; probably turn up on ebay “from a private collection in London”

Museum shops are really just opportunistic, that’s why they are part of the way out (of the building) in the same way that supermarkets have choccys and sweets by the till.

I do know that the shop manager does his best, but ultimately the stock carried must be governed by what they sell week in week out and the budget.

I am also slightly unsure as to why they have events at Hendon, as they never seem to grasp the bull by the horns; having attended the BoB weekend several times since ’08 there has been a decline in exhibitors, and the hospitality shown to them; in ’08 there was an all day buffet, tea and coffee on demand, and a hot meal and an alcoholic beverage during the evening, last year there was none of that, and this year there was no show at all, as apparently the budget didn’t run to it!

I think the firewall was asbestos millboard, and the cladding was 24 swg hope that helps in your identification.

Mike, “at last something we can agree on”