Campaigners call for Swindon Museum to reopen

The "free our croc" signs reference a gharial, an animal display acquired by the museum in 1935

Campaigners calling for a museum to reopen have held a tea party to mark three years since its doors shut.

Swindon's Museum and Art Gallery closed to the public in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

Swindon Borough Council has since agreed the sale of its former home, Apsley House, to a local property developer.

Councillor Matty Courtliff said inflation had pushed up contractors' estimates for a new building.

"I'm disappointed and frustrated," said Linda Casmaty, chair of the Friends of Swindon Museum.

"It's not fair on the people of Swindon - it has been identified as an area of low cultural engagement.

"It could be 10 to 15 years before a new museum is built," she added.

Mr Courtliff, cabinet member for culture, heritage and leisure, said instead of a new building, the council was looking at installing the museum and art exhibits on the first floor of the town's Civic Offices.

"We were aiming for spring of this year, but because of inflation the original contractor wasn't able to meet our budget so we've had to widen the tender process which went live this week," he said.

But there is no date for it to open and campaigners said it leaves a town with a population of over 220,000 people with no art gallery to visit, and an art collection with nowhere to be displayed.

Councillor Matty Courtliff said he sympathised with people who wanted the museum back

Ms Casmaty believes Swindonians are missing out the longer the museum remains closed.

"You need to be able to see art, it's no use looking at it in a book.

"We could get so many visitors if they would open this.

"I'm very keen that Swindon could become a tourist destination and this is one of the things we need," she said.