Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20174582

Sigh!How can I take the government's cuts seriously?Really?Getting a stuffed snake re-stuffed is more important than saving money? :shrug:

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

I don't know, if it's been there since the 19th century that it might be a act of barbarism to let it go.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

Sorry Damien I think that's rather a poor reason..

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

I don't. £10,000 is the grand scheme of things is nothing. Letting historical items or buildings go to waste to save money needs to be a decision that isn't taken lightly. The Government probably has a multitude of these types of items and buildings, items and locations that have seen generations of British royalty and politicians pass them by. I think it can be a sobering and inspiring thought when you're in a place that has seen so much history. Imagine staff working on desks on which their predecessors conducted affairs of Empire or plotted during World War 2. Some countries do not have that.

That isn't to say it's always justified but it's not a obvious choice. Is £10,000 really too much to pay to restore such an item?

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

^This.

As an antique it has value, which belongs to the nation. The Government has a responsibility to protect the value of such assets. Allowing valuable national assets to rust and rot would be short term cultural vandalism.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

£10,000 isn't really a huge amount when you look at how much the impending renovations of Westminster are going to cost.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

Maybe not but it would be a reasonable way to save money.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

Not if failing to spend £10k on preserving an antique asset results in that asset's value plummeting or vanishing entirely.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

If it was something useful I might have agreed with your suggestion.However one can't sit on a stuffed snake or write on a stuffed snake or put books on a stuffed snake.As an antique it wouldn't have been missed at all and for £10,000 I'm sure they could have bought a reasonably cheaper antique.;)

I'm just getting rather sick of being told that we should all be spending money more wisely in our own lives and that the nation must try and make cutbacks as a nation and then they do something like this.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

And I think you've been gripped by an attack of the sort of short-termism for which politicians are often criticised. That, and a failure to grasp the magnitude of the national budget and the fact that £10k is less than a rounding error that could not even be easily transferred to another department. I can see how this makes shocking headlines but seriously, this is simply what it costs to maintain our historic buildings and their contents.

Think of it this way. If things get *really* bad, at least Albert is now in a state where he can be sold, hopefully for something well in excess of £10k.

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

Strange reasoning for someone whom I think teaches Art?

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

I must be slipping as I find myself in agreement... :D

---------- Post added at 20:10 ---------- Previous post was at 20:09 ----------

It's probably a good deal prettier than the Mona Lisa. :D

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

What the hell does a stuffed snake have to do with art?:confused:

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

Ask Damien Hirst. :D

Re: Foreign Office's antique anaconda cost £10,000 to re-stuff
 

£10,£10,000,£100,0000 or ten million..it's still waste surely?

I'm not even playing party politics here folks.I truly think it's a waste of public money and my inner soul cringes.