Lincoln Usher Gallery: Moving exhibits to Nottingham 'bonkers'

The Usher Gallery houses works by famous artists, including LS Lowry, Henry Moore and Grayson Perry

A decision to move 30,000 museum exhibits from Lincoln to Nottingham has been described as "bonkers".

Artefacts, including works by LS Lowry, are to be taken from Lincoln's Usher Gallery and put in storage as a dispute over the venue's future use continues.

The City Council, which owns the items, said it followed failed talks with the County Council, which leases the gallery from the city, about storage.

County leader Martin Hill said the decision "beggars belief".

The dispute about the gallery, named after jeweller James Usher, began in 2019 when the Conservative-run county council said it wanted to remove some artworks and convert part of the building for use as a wedding venue.

It said the plan, which was criticised by artists including John Byford, was part of wider plans to cut £750,000 a year from its heritage budget and voted to give notice on its management of the collections.

Announcing the deal to move the exhibits to Nottingham, the Labour-run city council said it had been "left with no other option" but to explore other storage possibilities after the county said it wanted "to hand back all of the art and artefacts" it had looked after since 1974.

Council leader Ric Metcalfe said the decision to return the material after so long showed "a contempt for the city's rich heritage".

The authority said it was "determined" to keep the Usher building "open and intact" as a gallery and would give the county council access to the storage facility.

This would allow it to "rotate displays regularly to create ever-changing artworks", it said, bringing repeat visitors to the gallery.

Mr Hill, however, said the county council was "more than happy" to retain custody of the collection "free of charge" on condition parts of the building "could be used more flexibly".

"It's an absolutely crazy decision, it's bonkers," he said.

"Why would you want to remove part of Lincolnshire's great heritage?"

"I think James Usher would be turning in his grave."