RE: Jaguar's heritage museum to close...

[Dids444]

This is very sad news. For my Dad's birthday last year we had a trip down to Brum and did the heritage museum in the morning and then the factory tour in the afternoon (Dad is a big Jag fan by the way - he has an series 1.5 E type but he has just sold his XJ12 )

I was amazed that both vist's were done free of charge as they were excellent. Staff at both sites could not have been more friendly and helpful and were more than happy to have a chat about Jaguars new and old

Fingers crossed a new site is opened up

[ADP68]

How very sad. Let's hope they transfer them to Gaydon, which is closer to my house!

[Garlick]

GTiFrank said:

KevSeymour said:

Life Saab Itch said:

PH, maybe this is a good excuse to try and get a Sunday Service held there.


Just a thought....

My thoughts exactly, and i'd be supprised if they're not already looking into it.

+1, but only if they have room for 7-800 of us!

We are already speaking to Jaguar regarding a PHSS meet and they are very keen, in fact we may host one this year, but if we do it will be at Gaydon so I assume space is an issue at the Jag museum.

We do specify space for at least 400 cars these days, so need plenty of room.

[monthefish]

I remember strolling around the Browns Lane plant a few years ago, and I went inside this old, non-descript warehouse and it turned out to be the store-room for all of the cars they weren't currently showing in the heritage centre building.


It was wonderful and I spent a good few hours gawping at what was there.

[onyx39]

Bisonhead said:

This is barmy, how much can it cost to keep a museum operational. Electricity, rent, staff, cleaner. Surely these costs are justifiable to allow the public to see these very important cars?

Madness

I was told by a member of staff at MB World that the Brooklands site cost circa 100 million to set up, which they obviously consider a good investment..

[Al 450]

The heritage museum isn't owned by Jag and Brown's Lane is closing because it has all been sold off.

[Pickled Piper]

I understand it is being moved to India.
pp

[Warkman]

Not a surprise really.
Browns Lane is not there anymore and the small area taken up by the museum is to be sold off. Besides, where it is, is hardly on a main route, a back lane these days.
Don't forget JLR has an excellenty museum already at the Heritage Centre at gaydon.
I expect the Jags to appear regualary in that collections turnaround.

[mike325112]

Warkman said:

Not a surprise really.
Browns Lane is not there anymore and the small area taken up by the museum is to be sold off. Besides, where it is, is hardly on a main route, a back lane these days.
Don't forget JLR has an excellenty museum already at the Heritage Centre at gaydon.
I expect the Jags to appear regualary in that collections turnaround.

As someone pointed out earlier - the heritage centre at Gaydon is not owned by JLR.

I say let the excellent transport museum at Coventry show them.

[LHD]

Garlick said:

GTiFrank said:

KevSeymour said:

Life Saab Itch said:

PH, maybe this is a good excuse to try and get a Sunday Service held there.


Just a thought....

My thoughts exactly, and i'd be supprised if they're not already looking into it.

+1, but only if they have room for 7-800 of us!

We are already speaking to Jaguar regarding a PHSS meet and they are very keen, in fact we may host one this year, but if we do it will be at Gaydon so I assume space is an issue at the Jag museum.

We do specify space for at least 400 cars these days, so need plenty of room.

Expenses trip.

Get in!

[ArosaMike]

Numeric said:

I also think we do have to realise that this isn't in any way or form a UK company these days. Tata chooses to keep production and most development here and that is a great thing - but everything that could mitigate against some profitability has to be seen as being of little interest to a company like Tata (or any other multinational) and while I might get all misty eyed about the great days at Browns, most purchasers barely know where their cars are built by continent, yet alone town. So history will only be seen to be valuable if it adds to the brand value - and does a collection of cars few people see and most don't know about add to that value?

Utter rubbish. JLR is very much a British company. Tata are far, far more hands off than Ford ever were, and it's as English as it's ever been!

The company does definitely care about its heritage. The Heritage centre at Gaydon isn't admitedly anywhere near the scale of the German efforts, but then the company isn't anywhere near as rich/huge. It's still a great afternoon out though and the cars they've got are really interesting and a great slice through UK car manufacture.

[jagnet]

This is very sad news. The collection of cars they have is outstanding.

Perhaps there is a silver lining however. There's no doubt that the current museum is too small to house all the cars on display, and a move to new and bigger premises would permit more to be on show, but imho Jaguar need to find somewhere swiftly. These cars are too important to be hidden away.

Anybody that hasn't yet been should head there as soon as possible.

[Munich]

I know that Jaguar is a lot smaller than the "big German brands", but if Jaguar really is serious in taking on the big boys they need to replace the heritage museum. After experiencing the museums of BMW and MB and seeing how they use it to add to the buying expereince and brand preception, Jaguar needs something similar. Audi's museum is pretty small, but I've heard that they intend to replace it with something similar to BMW/MB.

[rede3zero]

Sad news indeed about the panned closure. l urge who can get there to go and see a wonderful collection of beautiful cars and a true tribute to British engineering.

If the collection is moved to Gaydon as is suggested in the report, then
that would be a big feather in Gaydon's cap and would make it the number 1 museum to visit for all petrol heads.

[marcosgt]

Perhaps not so odd, given that Tata seem to want to distance Jaguar from its 'heritage' and present it as a 'modern' (almost futuristic) company.

It's interesting, though, that companies like Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Porsche (Jaguar's main competitors amongst them) see such value in 'heritage'.

Makes you wonder what Tata know that these other companies don't...

Not much I suspect...

M

[will261058]

This is a shame. I hope they do re open it and soon as once these kind of things close, if there are no firm plans in place, it often slips over the horizon and forgotten about.

[matthias73]

aka_kerrly said:

Looks like the Jag Heritage museum has been added to my 'To Do' list before it's too late.

I think you'll find that is illegal.

Although funny: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/310514-drunk-man-has-...

[monthefish]

marcosgt said:

Perhaps not so odd, given that Tata seem to want to distance Jaguar from its 'heritage' and present it as a 'modern' (almost futuristic) company.

What makes you say that?

[Life Saab Itch]

Garlick said:

GTiFrank said:

KevSeymour said:

Life Saab Itch said:

PH, maybe this is a good excuse to try and get a Sunday Service held there.


Just a thought....

My thoughts exactly, and i'd be supprised if they're not already looking into it.

+1, but only if they have room for 7-800 of us!

We are already speaking to Jaguar regarding a PHSS meet and they are very keen, in fact we may host one this year, but if we do it will be at Gaydon so I assume space is an issue at the Jag museum.

We do specify space for at least 400 cars these days, so need plenty of room.

Fair play.

[ukmike2000]

I have some garage space and could accommodate a C Type, Appleyards XK120 and maybe one of the older saloons if they're stuck for storage. Admittedly at least one of the cars would be in what non-pistonheads might call a "dining room" - but it would be a small price to pay.