Museum visitor shortfall linked to overspend

Hopetown will play a substantial part in Darlington's celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the modern railway

A new railway museum attracted just half the estimated visitors in its opening months, contributing to a council overspend.

Hopetown Darlington opened in July last year but has failed to generate the income anticipated by the town's council.

As a result, its Leisure and Cultural Services directorate is expected to overspend by almost £600,000 this financial year.

Darlington Borough Council's leader Steven Harker said: "As with any complex project, Hopetown has not been without its challenges, and we will reflect on any lessons to be learned and make improvements as necessary."

Fewer visitors than expected, a lack of anticipated car parking income and underestimations around the scale of the project contributed to the attraction's cost.

A report due to be discussed by the council's Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee says the original approved budget for the attraction was £20m.

The current approved budget stands at almost double that, with the project's outturn cost - the expected actual cost of it - now standing at £37.5m.

The report says the directorate's current overspend is "mainly from Hopetown Darlington, where there is a projected under-performance in income recovery of £0.6m during the initial period of operation compared to business plan and budget targets".

It adds: "The scale of the project and some of the challenges through the project delivery phase were underestimated."

Harker said business plans are kept under review and amended when necessary, adding: "Word is spreading that it is a wonderful place to visit."

Museum 'cannot fail'

Issues linked to the project include delays in the opening of its show field and its virtual reality attraction called Experiment!.

The report said the delays and unforeseen problems contributed to visitor numbers being 50% down on estimates, which had a subsequent impact on income generation from catering, merchandising and car parking.

Use of the car park, which is not adjacent to the attraction, is also "lower than anticipated", with visitors often choosing to park on the adjoining streets.

In a blog post, Darlington's Conservative group urged the Labour-led council to be transparent about the attraction's performance.

Pledging to hold the council to account, the group's statement said: "In the lead up to the 2025 bi-centenary celebrations, Hopetown should be at the centre of this celebration, driving a much needed boost for the local economy and provide a lasting legacy for all.

"It cannot fail."

In response, Harker said the project had, until recently, enjoyed cross-party support and that it was a shame to see the opposition "looking to whip up outrage".

He added: "I will continue to spread positive messages about this wonderful celebration of our innovation and heritage."