Trust idea for museum is explored
A TOWN council is looking into the idea of creating a trust in its bid to save Stamford Museum.
Stamford Town Council held a meeting on Thursday last week at the museum in Broad Street, Stamford, which was attended by councillors, representatives from Lincolnshire County Council, museum staff and people interested in creating a trust.
The museum is one of three facing the axe as the county council bids to save 150,000.
The county council has proposed closing museums in Stamford, Grantham and Church Farm, Skegness, which have low visitor numbers. If the proposals get the go-ahead, the museums would close on June 30, next year.
One of the ideas that has come forward to save Stamford Museum is to create a trust, which would be responsible for running the facility. Former curator John Smith put forward the formal suggestion.
Town clerk Patricia Stuart-Mogg said: "It was a very positive meeting. We appreciate that time isn't on our side but we are trying our level best to come up with a solution that keeps the museum as it is.
"We are trying to find people who could be involved in forming or organising a trust or charitable body which could operate the museum. We think that is the best way forward."
Mrs Stuart-Mogg said she was also tasked with exploring the ownership of the land surrounding the museum, as the town council wanted to investigate making a path from the High Street to the museum.
She said: "If there was a path from the High Street it would encourage people to visit the museum and therefore increase the footfall, which is currently making it unviable."
As well as the trust idea, the county council says another option would be to move the displays to the town hall or library.
A petition by the town council to save the museum has so far received more than 400 signatures.
Mrs Stuart-Mogg said she was delighted by the response to the petition.
Petitions can be found at the Mercury offices in Sheep Market, Harrison and Dunn in All Saints Street and at the town hall in St Mary's Street, Stamford.
You can also sign by visiting www.stamfordtowncouncil.co.uk.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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