3rd August 2009, 12:24 AM
This is getting miserable.
Archaeological contractors have gone into administration or been closed by their backers in the past; Tempus Repartum, South Yorkshire Unit, Leicestershire Unit and Bath Archaeological Trust all spring to mind. This year, in the midst of what we are told is the worst recession since the 1930's, as I understand it, three small long established regional contractors Lindsay Archaeological Services, Manchester and according to this thread, SUAT have closed. I name these three (which have already been named on BAJR)so as to avoid any further confusion. This is dreadful for those working there, and for those of us who have lost jobs elsewhere, but let us hope that this is it.
Proffesional archaeology in Britain is constantly evolving,when I first started competitive tendering was practically unknown. When loads of archaeologists left the Museum of London in 1990 (so many that it was the lead item on the local TV news), many relocated to the regions and the skills base was spread out across the country. It is impossible to predict the future, I remember a dozen or so years ago the talk on site was that there would only be two or three national companies, which become so large that they would either be brought by multi-national construction companies or would float on the stock exchange. What actually happened of course was the opposite.
Times may be difficult now, after many years of an unprecidented boom, but the economy will eventually recover and the profession will move forward again.
Archaeological contractors have gone into administration or been closed by their backers in the past; Tempus Repartum, South Yorkshire Unit, Leicestershire Unit and Bath Archaeological Trust all spring to mind. This year, in the midst of what we are told is the worst recession since the 1930's, as I understand it, three small long established regional contractors Lindsay Archaeological Services, Manchester and according to this thread, SUAT have closed. I name these three (which have already been named on BAJR)so as to avoid any further confusion. This is dreadful for those working there, and for those of us who have lost jobs elsewhere, but let us hope that this is it.
Proffesional archaeology in Britain is constantly evolving,when I first started competitive tendering was practically unknown. When loads of archaeologists left the Museum of London in 1990 (so many that it was the lead item on the local TV news), many relocated to the regions and the skills base was spread out across the country. It is impossible to predict the future, I remember a dozen or so years ago the talk on site was that there would only be two or three national companies, which become so large that they would either be brought by multi-national construction companies or would float on the stock exchange. What actually happened of course was the opposite.
Times may be difficult now, after many years of an unprecidented boom, but the economy will eventually recover and the profession will move forward again.