28th June 2009, 10:43 PM
David wrote:
I didn't want to be drawn into this any more, but there is much in your post that is just not true. During my time in York in this decade the Trust hardly worked in the city, and certainly no more so than the other York units. They were losing out to non-York companies in the same way my own company was. Like us they had expanded to the farthest flung corners of the county and beyond, and were doing a job in Peterborough at one point. Unsurprisingly, landing the long running Hungate project greatly improved their prospects in the city, to the detriment of the other York units who lost out. All of which is fair enough in the rough and tumble world of commercial archaeology.
To suggest however that they are doing well because they stick close to home, do what they know best, etc is just plain untrue. They landed two big projects which saw them through the beginning of the recession. Incidentally, they are also particularly prone to high staff turnover. Almost all of the archs from the 2 projects mentioned were let go last autumn, and the old hands you probably remember David, have been leaving in a steady trickle for years.
Knowing a little about the organization beyond the "local charity that does worthy public archaeology" spin, I am filled with horor at the idea of many other organizations following their "model".
Quote:quote:YAT has been little affected by the credit crunch? I wonder why? YAT does not expand beyond its borders too much..? YAT.. strangely works mainly in... you guesssed it... York...
The staff there now... I remmber from my time there in the 80s and 90s... now... I wonder why that is?
I support this one..120% and hope others follow this model, rather than look at the commercial bottom line?
I didn't want to be drawn into this any more, but there is much in your post that is just not true. During my time in York in this decade the Trust hardly worked in the city, and certainly no more so than the other York units. They were losing out to non-York companies in the same way my own company was. Like us they had expanded to the farthest flung corners of the county and beyond, and were doing a job in Peterborough at one point. Unsurprisingly, landing the long running Hungate project greatly improved their prospects in the city, to the detriment of the other York units who lost out. All of which is fair enough in the rough and tumble world of commercial archaeology.
To suggest however that they are doing well because they stick close to home, do what they know best, etc is just plain untrue. They landed two big projects which saw them through the beginning of the recession. Incidentally, they are also particularly prone to high staff turnover. Almost all of the archs from the 2 projects mentioned were let go last autumn, and the old hands you probably remember David, have been leaving in a steady trickle for years.
Knowing a little about the organization beyond the "local charity that does worthy public archaeology" spin, I am filled with horor at the idea of many other organizations following their "model".