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Council considers possible museum closures in Bristol

Arts Professional
2 min read

Members of Bristol City Council will discuss closing three of the city’s museums next week as they look to make £43m in savings over the next two years.

A plan to close Blaise Museum, The Georgian House, and Red Lodge is one of several proposals that will be scrutinised at a meeting next Tuesday.

The closures have been projected to save the council £132,000 by 2030.

Council leader and Green Party representative Tony Dyer told the BBC that the council faces tough decisions and bankruptcy if it does not fill its funding gap.

“This is a very tough time for Bristol, and we recognise the difficulties being faced by many households and communities,” said Dyer.

“This will not be a perfect or painless process – with the challenges we face, it was never going to be.”

However, some councillors have voiced criticism of any plans to mothball the museums.

Councillor Mark Weston said, “From our point of view, closing these museums is probably not going to save any money because the council is still going to have the liability.”

“The buildings are listed, and they legally have to maintain them as they are, so if you close them, you remove any opportunity to raise money, but you still keep all the costs of maintaining all of those buildings.

“The Blaise Museum is such a key part of the estate – it’s the jewel in the city’s crown.”