BBMF Visitor Centre VisitEngland accolade

Header Image: The BBMF Visitor Centre offers tours of the BBMF hangar where the RAF technicians can be seen working on the Flight’s aircraft. (Photo: Lisa Harding)

The BBMF Visitor Centre at Coningsby, Lincolnshire, is a participant in VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS). Participant attractions are assessed annually, the assessment and accreditation reflecting the visitor experience, along with the quality of the product and services offered by the attraction and its staff.

The VisitEngland assessors look at: the welcome; presentation of the attraction; how the story is told; catering and retail; staff efficiency and customer care knowledge. In addition, for attractions that offer a tour as their primary experience, a tour assessment is carried out. The BBMF Visitor Centre underwent its 2021 VAQAS, unannounced and carried out by an assessor posing as a normal visitor, on 6th July.

The VisitEngland assessor awarded the BBMF Visitor Centre staff and guides the highest possible accreditation score for customer care, efficiency and knowledge. The assessor’s report stated: "Without doubt this small group tour was the best experienced in all the years I have been assessing. The guide delivered a detailed and informative tour, which included memorable people stories as well as aircraft facts and figures. His passion for the BBMF and his career credentials made the visitor feel extremely privileged to be getting this level of authentic information delivered first-hand by an ex-BBMF pilot. One of the highlights of the tour was watching and listening to a Spitfire running its engine for its propeller to be dynamically balanced and having this explained in detail by the tour guide."

With the maximum possible score awarded to the staff, the BBMF Visitor Centre has been nominated for VisitEngland’s prestigious ‘Welcome’ accolade, which goes to those attractions that give visitors a genuinely excellent welcome and whose teams go the extra mile to ensure their visitors are really well looked after and get the most out of their visit.

Members of the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club are entitled to free hangar tours, via the BBMF Visitor Centre, on production of a valid Club membership card on arrival. Admission charges apply to non-Club members. For bookings and more information as restrictions are eased, visit the website www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/history-heritage/battle-britain-memorial-flight-visitor-centre (email [email protected] or telephone 01522 782040).