Frustration at Peel’s no show as 350 pack out meeting on future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport

More than 350 people packed into a meeting room to express their concern and anger over the potential closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
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Chaired by Doncaster Chamber chief executive Dan Fell, the floor heard from South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher for the latest on DSA’s future.

The event inside the Legends Lounge at Doncaster Rovers’ Eco Power Stadium heard from many residents, workers and others with connections to the airport.

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Loud groans from the floor came after it was revealed that no one from Peel Group, the owners of the airport, were at the meeting despite requests.

Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick FletcherPicture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher
Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher

Mayor Coppard admitted that despite three weeks’ into a ‘strategic review period’ with Peel bosses, it ‘isn’t clear’ what Peel actually want or if they even want to sell the site.

A significant theme of the meeting was around Peel and their intentions. Both Coppard and Fletcher said they were in the dark around this.

Others called out Peel specifically and were perplexed as to why the airport failed despite being consistently voted the UK’s number one airport along with great infrastructure and one of the longest runways in the north of England.

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Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher, who represents the area where the airport is situated, said that because hundreds of jobs are on the line, Peel needed ‘to show some corporate responsibility’.

Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.com
Doncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm 
a member of the public making a statement at the public meeting
Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.com
Doncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm 
a member of the public making a statement at the public meeting
Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.com Doncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm a member of the public making a statement at the public meeting

Repeated calls were also made to get Peel chairman John Whittaker to the negotiating table. So far, he has only responded to politicians via letter.Mayor Coppard also revealed that a meeting with Aviation Minister Robert Courts was a productive one and said he would introduce other UK airport players and airlines for discussions around the site.

Coppard, when asked about buying the airport from Peel directly, said that ‘no option was off the table’ but another private operator would be a better option.

He cited Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchan buying Teesside International from Peel in 2019 but the site continues to make losses of over £10 million.

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Fletcher said: “My concern is we have three weeks left at the moment to sort this. So far, we have no answers.

Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard and Don Valley MP Nick FletcherPicture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher
Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher

“It doesn’t fill me with a lot of hope, it actually scares me to death.

“I keep asking this question over and over again, why has this failed?

“If this does go, there needs to be a public enquiry as to why. But that’s for another time, we need to focus on saving the airport.”

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Fletcher went on to say that the airport could be saved and was ‘confident’ a solution could be found.”

Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher address the packed meetingPicture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher address the packed meeting
Picture by Howard Roe/AHPIX.comDoncaster Sheffield Airport meeting at Eco Power Stadium, Doncaster 04/08/2022 6.00pm - South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard, Doncaster Chamber CEO Dan Fell and Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher address the packed meeting

One questioner asked the panel why the airport was seemingly failing after multiple loans from South Yorkshire MCA while another questioned why no other airline has consistently stayed.

Another resident called Peel out directly and accused them of ‘deliberate mismanagement’.Mayor Coppard, speaking after the meeting, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Peel ‘haven’t done a good job in running the airport’.

The working groups that are currently set up were questioned while another asked about the start of the negotiating process.

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Dan Fell from Doncaster Chamber admitted that the initial response was ‘chaotic from the start’ but the team of people fighting this potential closure was now a lot more organised and efficient.

One gentleman called on Mayor Coppard and others to ask Manchester Airport Group to intervene.

He cited the group was responsible for adding £7bn to the Uk economy and could be the best option for the future.

Mayor Coppard received applause when citing that London had received nearly £20bn for the new cross-city Elizabeth Line and funding to bailout Transport for London (TfL).

“We deserve exactly what London has,” he said.

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Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Coppard said: “I was really pleased to see so many people at the meeting and the strength of feeling and they understand just how important it is to save the airport.

“We’re doing all we can but we need to work with government and we need Peel ultimately to make the decision to keep the airport open or to sell it to somebody else.

“I can’t talk about all of the details but in terms of what they want – it’s not entirely clear at this point.

“It’s why we have the negotiations and we’re working hard to try and find a way forward.

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“If Peel aren’t the people who are going to run the airport and make it a success then in my view, we need somebody else to come in with us – an operator on that site who knows what they’re doing and can run it well and have the same ambition as we do.

“We’ve put a huge amount of investment into that site, we want an operator who shares our ambitions.

“The facts are out there. Peel ran Sheffield, it got sold. They ran Teesside and it got sold and ultimately, they haven’t done a good job in running this airport.

“In fairness to them, they have said there are a number of reasons as to why that is the case.

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“I want an operator who can make DSA work – it’s a fantastic site with a great terminal with a huge runway. There’s no reason why it can’t work.

“Peel is in the driving seat because they own it – that’s the problem we face.”

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