Potential 'five-year' delay to find new museum venue

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery closed last year after dry rot made it potentially unsafe

Council officials say it could take up to five years to find a new permanent replacement venue for Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

Its previous home in Terrace Road in the town closed in June last year after dry rot was discovered in the three-storey building.

Derbyshire County Council has now estimated that finding a suitable alternative could take between three and five years.

However, in the meantime the authority said it was planning to have temporary museum displays at a number of venues around the town.

'Small temporary museum'

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We’re determined to see the collections displayed locally as soon as possible.

"The reference to three to five years is the time we believe it could take to establish a new permanent home for Buxton Museum and Art Gallery.

"We can’t make any decisions about exactly how the temporary service will operate until a suitable building is secured.

"Potentially it could include a small temporary museum in the town as well as additional ‘pop-up’ displays at other venues."

The authority added it was "looking forward" to having discussions about the plans with local groups in the "near future".

In June, more than 200 people gathered outside the old venue to highlight its continued closure.

The museum was established in 1893 in the Town Hall, before moving to Peak Buildings in Terrace Road in 1928.

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