£10M CASH BOOST FOR NEW V&A

A £10MILLION public funding injection has been provided to ensure a flagship new museum stays afloat.

The Scottish Government has announced it will provide an extra £1million a year to the V&A museum in Dundee for up to a decade, on top of the £38million of public money given to the construction of the museum.

Nicola Sturgeon revealed details of the funding as concerns were raised over the financial sustainability of the V&A Dundee, which is due to open in September.

During First Minister’s Questions, Labour MSP Jenny Marra said: ‘A board paper for V&A Dundee states that our new museum needs more cash to cover operating costs, a £500,000 bank loan and potentially further government grants.’

She called for assurances from the Scottish Government that it was working to ensure the project is on a ‘firm financial footing’.

Miss Sturgeon said: ‘We have also agreed a further package of revenue support that will be worth £1million a year and support the museum in the first ten years of its operation.

‘The Scottish Government is committed to supporting this fantastic new development for Dundee.’

A V&A Dundee spokesman said the museum had arranged an overdraft facility, not a £500,000 loan, which would not be used to run the museum.