Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Campaigners say fight to save airport is 'not over yet'

Mark Chadwick, a 56-year-old businessman, set up the Save Doncaster Sheffield Airport campaign, which now has thousands of supporters on social media.

It comes after Peel Group decided to shut Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) in November and put around 800 jobs at risk, claiming it had never made a profit due to a lack of passengers.

Political leaders set up meetings with investors who were interested in a potential takeover and offered to cover the owner’s losses for up to two years so negotiations could take place, but no deal was reached.

More than 100,000 people signed a petition against the closure and hundreds took part in a series of protests outside the terminal.

“I want to keep the momentum up and keep people engaged,” Mr Chadwick said. “It’s not over yet, not by a long shot.

“Now it’s a case of getting new operators in there and getting it opened up.

“We’re trying to get more support. We have around 21,000 on Facebook, which is not bad going,” he added.

“As long as our group keeps going, then that shows the authorities – Doncaster Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the Government – that people still want the airport to reopen in Doncaster.”

Mr Chadwick said people want their local airport back, as it provided hundreds of jobs in the area, benefited a range of local businesses and made it easier for thousands to travel overseas.

The group is refusing to give up hope, as a consortium from the United Arab Emirates is reportedly still interested in a takeover. Doncaster Council is also pursuing a compulsory purchase order for the airport site.

The council also applied for a judicial review into the decision to shut the airport, claiming the owners had not left time for a buyer to make a realistic offer, but the application was refused in December.

Speaking after that ruling, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said local leaders “have done everything we can” to save the airport and added that they will keep working with interested investors and the owners “to find a viable path to a new future”.

Peel Group said it met with several investors, but none of them put forward a credible offer, and it is now looking to turn the site into a science and technology park.

According to the company, the airport has “never achieved the critical mass required to become profitable”, despite £250m of investment, and the passenger shortage was exacerbated by Wizz Air’s decision to stop running flights and the Covid-19 pandemic.

DSA handled a record 1.4 million passengers in the last pre-pandemic year, 2019.

But just 403,869 passengers used the airport in the 12 months ending in March 2022.

It also recorded an operating loss of £4.3m in that financial year.