Concern over new 'vision' for city museums

Belgrave Hall is earmarked for closure under the plans

Concerns have been raised over plans to close a museum in Leicester and reduce the opening hours of other sites.

Leicester City Council currently runs eight museum buildings but says some are "costly to maintain, have low usage and displays are relatively outdated".

As part of the plans, Belgrave Hall, which currently opens every Wednesday and one weekend a month in summer, will close to the public, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Newarke Houses Museum, with its cobbled street and wartime trenches exhibits, is currently open every day all year round but it would only open on Saturdays between May and September.

Newarke Houses Museum will only be open on Saturdays between May and September

Meawhile, Abbey Pumping Station, which now welcomes visitors every day between February and October, would only open on Mondays in school holidays in those months and for special events.

The council said issues including maintenance costs, low usage and outdated displays "impacts upon the visitor experience".

It added that resources should be "realigned" for more effective use and to make the museum service "more relevant to Leicester people" while "better showcasing our history, community stories and world class collections".

The move has been criticised by Liberal Democrat city councillor Nigel Porter, who has described it as a "reckless plan" which will "erode Leicester's cultural heritage".

"The Labour council must stop gutting our heritage and prioritising vanity projects," he said.

He has set up a petition to save the museums.

The Conservative group also complained about the lack of consultation of the plans, which are due to come into effect on 1 May, adding the suspension of Belgrave Hall as a heritage venue "shows how little [the authority] values community history".

'Difficult financial situation'

The council said Belgrave Hall had stopped operating as a museum when the last collections were removed more than a decade ago.

It said it was looking at "potential alternative uses" for the site, adding it hopes "one can be found that would allow public access to continue in some way".

Joanna Jones, the council's head of arts and museums, said: "The council has invested more than £15m in our museums' service over the past 10 years, and has a further £10m of improvements under way, or planned.

"Our aim is to continue to provide a high-quality service despite the extremely difficult financial situation."

She said the council will focus on "key sites" of Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, Jewry Wall, King Richard III Visitor Centre and Leicester Guidhall.

Ms Jones added any staff affected by the changes may be able to move into Jewry Wall once it re-opens.

Assistant city mayor for culture Vi Dempster added the authority has been forced to make "some operational changes" to deliver a high standard service.

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