Museum’s £345k grant to become arts venue

A £345,000 lottery grant has been awarded to the city council for its plans to transform the Canterbury Heritage Museum into a cultural performance arts venue.

The authority secured the funding this week, but campaigners still want the historic building in Stour Street preserved as a museum and have collected a 2,000-signature petition.

Previously the Poor Priest’s Hospital, the museum houses important artefacts and collections, many of which would be moved to The Beaney in the High Street as part of the changes.

Council bosses want to relocate the Marlowe Youth Theatre to the museum and insist the city’s history will still form a vital part of its use, bringing the arts and literary heritage together.

A group led by Canterbury Archaeological Trust director Paul Bennett welcomes the lottery grant, but has been campaigning against the museum’s closure.

It is appealing to the city council to postpone the decision it is due to make on the museum’s future on Wednesday, March 29, so further negotiations can be held.

He said: “Our consortium of heritage societies, groups and university departments wants to help ensure the world-famous story of Canterbury remains at the heart of the heritage museum building and at the core of the proposal.”

Picture: Chris Davey FM4716736 Canterbury Archaelogical Trust director Paul Bennett and Dr Andrew Richardson, the trust’s outreach manager, with the petition to keep the Canterbury Heritage Museum in Stour Street open