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Jodrell Bank 'under threat of closure'

07/03/2008

The director of Manchester University's Jodrell Bank has confirmed the financial future of the facility is under threat.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Phil Diamond confirmed the Science and Technology Facilities Council is suffering "financial problems" and that Jodrell Bank is "set to be one of the casualties".

The multi-element radio linked interferometer network, known as Merlin, which is an array of radio telescopes distributed around the country, is thought to be specifically under threat.

"It is seven telescopes, large telescopes spread around the UK. The core of the network is the big Lovell telescope here at Jodrell Bank. That is one of the icons of British science," explained Mr Diamond.

"Essentially if we lose Merlin and that would imply a really significant threat to Jodrell Bank itself, we lose really the UK's presence in the whole field of radio astronomy."

The Northwest Regional Development Agency has invested £2.5 million of taxpayers' money to fund the physical infrastructure of Merlin.