Arts Council cash pays for new museum roof

Roofers can start work at Ipswich Museum after an Arts Council award, a council says.

A museum should still re-open on schedule in 2025 after refurbishment despite an overspend, a council has said.

Ipswich Borough Council said roofers were due to start work on Ipswich Museum, which closed for refurbishment about 18 months ago, in May after a £376,850 Arts Council award.

Roofing work should be completed in October, a spokeswoman said.

She said the museum, which opened in 1881, was in need of “significant” renovation.

'Overspend'

The project, which had an initial budget of £8.7m, includes plans for an additional gallery, new educational space, a new cafe, and an improved shop.

Earlier this year it emerged that renovations to the museum were running £2.7m over budget.

Inflation and supply chain disruption had contributed to an overspend, the council said.

When the museum, in High Street, closed in October 2022 the council said it should reopen in summer 2025.

The spokeswoman said: “The plans remain to have the museum open in 2025.”