Staff face redundancy as Poole Museum undergoes refurb

The council said the changes would affect four people at the museum

Staff at a museum are expected to be made redundant after it closed its doors for a two-year refurbishment programme.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said a "small number" of positions at Poole Museum were likely to be lost.

The museum closed in December ahead of a major redevelopment to transform its historic buildings.

BCP Council said the changes would affect four people.

Chris Saunders, service director destination and culture, said the council was "consulting with the affected staff".

'Redeployment opportunities'

"A small number of positions are likely to be made redundant and we understand this will be a challenging time for those concerned.

"We are actively seeking redeployment opportunities elsewhere in the council and will be supporting them throughout any transition," he said.

The museum is taking a series of travelling exhibits "on the road" for the duration of the museum's closure, visiting schools, libraries and other community groups.

Three new galleries are being built to showcase the museum's maritime collections, a new space will allow major touring exhibitions to visit and a larger lift will be installed, the museum said.

The £7.7m renovation, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England, will keep the museum closed until the end of 2024.