Ex PM offers hope in mills fight
THE CLOCK is ticking on efforts to save Helmshore Mills with just five days left to submit an expression of interest to keep them open.
The Free Press can confirm that several national heritage organisations have been involved in discussions with Arts Council England regarding the fate of the textile museum, threatened with closure by county council funding cuts to museum funding.
The plight of the mills has even been brought to the highest level of government, with MP Graham Jones personally petitioning former PM David Cameron.
In a letter to Mr Jones, sent in his final week at Number 10, Mr Cameron wrote: “Arts Council England are in discussions with Lancashire County Council regarding the proposed closures and the collections of national importance.
“They are particularly mindful of the designated collections at Queen Street Mill and Helmshore Mill, and are in touch with other groups, including Historic England and the Heritage Lottery Fund, to discuss their care and management.
“I do understand your concerns in this matter, and hope that this goes some way to alleviating them.”
The museum was given a reprieve when Lancashire County Council (LCC) extended the deadline for expressions of interest from March to this Tuesday, August 2.
An LCC spokeswoman said: “At the moment although we are talking to, or have talked to organisations it doesn’t mean we are in negotiations with them about taking on ownership.
“All the expressions of interest will be assessed and evaluated before the report goes to cabinet on September 8. Until then the details are entirely confidential.”
A spokeswoman for Arts Council England said: “Local authorities play a vital role in funding arts and culture across England so we are concerned to hear about these proposals, particularly where collections of national importance are concerned.
“However, we do recognise the pressure on local authority budgets and we’ll continue our conversations with Lancashire County Council during the consultation period and beyond.”
A cabinet working group has been set up to look at the running of the five museums which could shut by September 30, while a petition opposing the closures has topped 10,000 signatures.