Preston's Harris Museum: Inflation causes revamp cost to rise by 20%

Councillor Peter Buckley said the work would bring the museum "up to modern standards and preserve its heritage"

Rising inflation has caused a museum's renovation costs to increase by almost 20%, a council has heard.

Preston City Council's plan to "reveal" the 19th Century architecture of the city's Harris Museum was costed at £10.7m in 2021, an amount which rose to £13.8m after further fundraising.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said rising building and energy costs had now pushed the total to £16.2m.

Lancashire County Council heard the extra funds came from various sources.

A county council meeting on Thursday heard that since the original costing, the authority and the city council had further committed a combined £2.1m to the project, while the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which provided an original £4.5m grant, had given a further £250,000.

Other contributors included the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through its Museum Estates Development Fund, the Arts Council and the Wolfson Foundation charity.

'On track'

The main phase of the project, which has been titled "Reimagining the Harris", began in August when the ceremonial keys for the near 130-year-old Grade I-listed building were handed over to the principal contractor for the works.

The museum, which closed just over a year ago, is due to reopen in 2024 as the country's first "blended" museum, art gallery and library, an overhaul which is aimed at attracting an extra 100,000 visitors annually.

Pre-pandemic, the venue was drawing about 360,000 people through its doors every year.

The county council's cabinet member for cultural services, Peter Buckley, told the meeting that it was "unfortunate that circumstances totally outside of our control have meant that further funds are now needed".

However, he added that the county council remained "committed to the project", which would bring the museum "up to modern standards and preserve its heritage, ensuring that this iconic landmark remains the civic focal point for Preston".

"The Harris remains the vibrant heart of our community... and we are confident that despite the rising construction costs and inflation, we remain on track for the delivery of this impactful regeneration scheme in 2024," he added.