Peel own Manchester City Airport (well, that's what some deluded Wonk has decided to call Bartom aerodrome.
Give them their due, they've spent a fair bit on levelling and draining, with very mixed success but the 08 -26 are shaping -up pretty well (08R /26L) the other is still undergoing remedial work, I think.
They've just erected a ginormous new hangar doubling the size of that which survives (some old ones were unsafe/demolished, but even they were far smaller than the new one....now they just need to offer a tempting rate to move the outdoor parkers off the grass and apron!
Considerable cash has been spent on the cafe play ground and they had a travelling fairground during the school holidays It attracted enormous crowds of women and kids and they were all spending! What with donkey-rides, a huge pile of sand and a hot-dog /hamburger stall, it was more like Blackpool or Southport.
I was glad I was only visiting, but there was a good bit of interest in the aircraft -movements as well. so, all in all, I think it was a good PR exercise and must promote long-term growth, whilst subsidising the running of the flying- facilities.
They also own the Manchester Ship Canal, which runs close to the road parallel with the airfield boundary...Oh, there's some sort of new sporting stadium close -by and Peel charge those visitors for parking.....They certainly seem to be in there for the long-term and seem to be maximising the use of the site......shame that Lancs Aero Club couldn't do similar and buy it from the Council