Huddersfield George Hotel rugby league museum 'unviable' say council

Campaigners had expected Huddersfield's George Hotel to become the home of a new national museum

Plans to open a rugby league museum in a hotel known as the birthplace of the game "would not be financially viable", a council has said.

Kirklees Council said the cost of refurbishing the Huddersfield's George Hotel would be "far bigger" than expected.

The building was chosen as the venue for a permanent museum in January 2020.

Council leader Shabir Pandor said the authority was committed to bring it back into use as a hotel.

When the George was chosen as the venue for the exhibition, councillor Peter McBride said the town's successful bid had "received a huge amount of support from across the world".

In a statement on the latest development, he said: "With the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, we have had to give careful consideration of our investments on behalf of local taxpayers.

"We now know that a combined hotel and museum within the refurbished George Hotel would not be financially viable without an ongoing cost to Kirklees residents."

"But Huddersfield is the birthplace of rugby league and the sport is an essential part of our heritage.

The hotel was the meeting place of more than 20 clubs on 29 August 1895 who decided to set up the Northern Union, a game that went on to known as rugby league.

Councillor McBride said the hotel refurbishment would include "a fitting tribute" to the rugby league's birthplace

Mr McBride said in a recent council meeting the authority had realised the scale of repair work needed on the hotel was "far bigger" than presumed, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Pandor said at the same meeting members had never agreed to include the museum within the building and the budget "did not stack up".

Kirklees Council has said it is committed to opening the museum on another site in the town.

A spokesman for Rugby League Cares, the charity which is due to help with running the museum, said: "We are aware of the comments made at Tuesday's meeting and are seeking further clarification from the council on its plans for the national museum."

Meanwhile, almost 10,00 people have signed an online petition asking the council to keep the museum at the George.