Closure threat museum calls for new donor

The museum that houses the world’s oldest football needs a millionaire benefactor to secure its future, according to its director.

The Smith Art Gallery and Museum in Stirling could close by 2020 if the local authority rubber-stamps a proposal to slash its funding by 90%.

Now, 144 years after the building opened thanks to a bequest from artist Thomas Stuart Smith, director Dr Elspeth King has called for another rich benefactor to keep the attraction alive.

Dr King said: “Stirling Council’s priority-based budgeting process has identified cutting funding of the Stirling Smith by 90% as a necessary saving.

“With a cut of £242,000, we will be forced to close by 2020, so we are looking for another Thomas Stuart Smith. We need a trust fund, something like £10m, which would generate an income on which we could operate.”

The Smith collection contains more than 40,000 important artworks and objects including the world’s oldest football.

The leather and pig’s bladder ball was found in rafters in the Queen’s Chamber at Stirling Castle by workers in 1981. The ball is thought to have become lodged there in the 1540s, when a young Mary Queen of Scots lived there.

A Stirling Council spokesman said it was important to stress that final funding decisions would not be taken until councillors meet to set the budget on February 22.