THORNBURY Museum has teamed up with one of the town’s restaurants to take visitors on a flight through time, with a unique look at the history of Concorde.

The new exhibition, which is on display until the end of April, features a wealth of photos and items spanning the history of Filton airfield from its beginnings as the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1910 to the supersonic jet’s final flight in 2003.

Among the items in the exhibit is the airfield’s guestbook, signed by an incredible array of public figures including Princess Margaret, Lord Snowdon and motor racing champion Graham Hill, as well as the nautical clock from the ops desk of RAF Fairford.

Much of the exhibition comes from the private collection of Thornbury deputy mayor Cllr Bob Griffin, who after finishing his national service in 1962, worked at the airfield and saved as much as he could from the skip after being asked to dispose of it when Bristol Aircraft Corporation closed in 1977.

“There is a lot of heritage and history here,” said Cllr Griffin. “There is a real versatility to what was made in Filton, both aeroplanes and cars, that made us the forefront of engineering at the time.

“Concorde was a marvellous aeroplane to be involved with and will forever be a major feature in the region’s illustrious engineering history.

“So many of the workforce are still in the area, having moved here to work in Filton, and I would hope this will bring back some fond memories.”

As part of the celebration, the museum has teamed up with popular restaurant Ronnie’s of Thornbury to give diners a unique themed evening on Wednesday, March 15, with a tour of the exhibit, fuelled by champagne and canapés at the museum, before heading to the restaurant for a Concorde-themed three-course meal. 

The restaurant’s owner Ron Faulker said: “Concorde and all the aviation work at Filton have played a big part in Thornbury over the years, we have had so many different people who have been involved come through our doors over the years.

“Bob has given us a couple of menus from Concorde itself, so we will try and serve up something similar to the experience passengers would have had on the plane.

“I am also really chuffed to have Bob come in and talk to everyone after the dinner and share his amazing passion and wealth of knowledge.”

To book a place for the themed evening visit ronnies-restaurant.co.uk.