Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Archaeologists aiming to stop museum going under
City archaeologists are offering to dig the council out of a hole and help keep Canterbury Heritage Museum open.
They have stepped in following the unveiling of plans to close the loss-making attraction in Stour Street and turn it into a youth theatre and literacy cultural venue for the Marlowe Theatre.
The city council is consulting on the proposal after revealing visitor numbers have dropped from almost 30,000 to less than 9,000 in five years – the attraction only surviving with a £160,000 annual subsidy from taxpayers.
But Canterbury Archaeological Trust director Paul Bennett says that increasing entry prices and reducing its hours was bound to have a negative effect on those visiting.
Now he is appealing to the council to rethink the reuse of the building and was due to meet officers yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon to discuss his plans.
He said: “A growing number of Canterbury institutions and many individuals want to keep the building in use as the only museum that tells the story of Canterbury.
“We will be offering to work with the council to increase footfall and revenue and, in the longer term, raising funds to enhance the museum and develop the historic buildings in other ways to interpret the heritage of the city, district and region.
“If the council does not wish to pursue this option, we propose forming a trust offering to operate the building and the collections in partnership with them, in the same way that they are proposing to operate the complex with a new Marlowe Trust.
“We appreciate the council is going through difficult times with cutbacks from central government, but this museum appears to be low-hanging fruit and they’re going for it.
“Yet the building and its contents are incredibly special, while the Beaney is not a real museum, just a collections of curiosities. To lose it would be like cutting an arm off – it’s ridiculous.”
A call to keep the museum open has already come from the Canterbury Society’s Jan Pahl, who says better signage and publicity is needed to drive visitor numbers.
Mr Bennett has launched a petition in a bid to save the museum which can be seen at www.ipetitions.com/petition/ save-canterbury-heritagemuseum.
It has already attracted more than 1,000 signatures.
Among the organisations backing his proposals are the Centre for Kent History and Heritage at Canterbury Christ Church University, the Centre for Heritage and the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent, the Kent Archaeological Society, Canterbury Heritage Design Forum, the Canterbury branch of the Historical Association and Canterbury Tourists Guides.
Mr Bennett said: “We have been given very little time to act before the period of public consultation ends on March 1.
“What we need from the meeting is more time to put together a coherent proposal and business plan for either of the two options.”
What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk or write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.