Museum friends group charity closes after 75 years

The Friends of The Bowes Museum charity is winding down after 75 years

A museum's friends group has agreed to close after 75 years due to a fall in income and lack of volunteers.

The Friends of The Bowes Museum, which is independent of the museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham, voted to close and wind up the charity on Wednesday.

Colin Hardy, chair of the group, said the decision was difficult but was unanimously agreed upon by the Friends trustees following professional advice.

The group's assets of £170,000 will be held in a legacy fund by the museum to support the production of its programmes.

"This is a bittersweet moment," Mr Hardy said, adding: "We're celebrating 75 years of existence with a vote to close."

He said over several years there had been a steady decline in memberships, a rising age profile of members and a fall in income.

"The prospect of seeing Friends slide deeper and deeper into decline was not the way anyone of us would want the story of such an important group to end," Mr Hardy said.

"This vote to close allows the group to wind up its affairs with dignity while honouring the achievements of the past 75 years."

Its 1,300 members would now be looked after by the museum and continue to have unlimited access to the site for the duration of their memberships, Mr Hardy said,

When their annual memberships expire, they would be invited to join the museum directly as members.

"Friends have played a significant part in the history of the museum," Mr Hardy said.

"It is well documented that Friends kept the museum open when it was threatened with closure and we as a group have supported the museum in so many ways, both financially and practically, over the years," he said.