Campaigners slam plans to shut 100-year-old museum

Campaigners fighting the proposed closure of a museum which is nearly 100 years old have called the plans "misguided" and warned it could "cost far more than is saved".

The permanent closure of Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall was proposed by Leeds City Council in December, claiming it could save the cash-strapped authority £160,000.

At a meeting on Wednesday, John Luxton, chairman of the Friends of Leeds City Museums, told councillors the group had offered to pay to market the museum and attract more visitors, but so far "our offer has been refused".

Salma Arif, executive member for culture, said the closure proposal had "not been taken lightly", adding that "no final decision has been made".

The museum, which opened in 1927 and features three replica Victorian streets - complete with shops, a pub and houses - has seen a decline in visitors over the last three years, with about 39,000 in 2023-24, the council has said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Luxton told a full meeting of Leeds City Council that money had already been spent on improved toilets and other facilities at the museum, and asked: "Was that money down the drain?"

He said members of the Friends group were "in no doubt the council, through no fault of its own, is facing a dire financial situation".

However, he added that members believed "closing our much-loved Abbey House Museum is misguided and will cost the council far more than is saved".

More than 4,660 people have signed a petition started by local resident Stuart Long against the closure, claiming the museum was a valuable resource to the people of Leeds.

In his petition, Mr Long said the closure would have an impact on the city's tourist economy and "rob the citizens" of an opportunity to engage with the city's history.

The meeting heard that Abbey House Museum staff only found out about the planned closure when they read about it on Facebook.

Arif said she was "extremely sorry" staff had found out about the plans in that way.

"Staff should not have been put in this position", she said.

Leeds City Council has said it must find £106m to balance its budget in the next financial year due to funding not keeping pace with rising costs.

The authority has also proposed charging residents for entry to Kirkstall Abbey , which is opposite the Abbey House Museum and which has been free since 2022.

Job losses, a council tax rise and building closures are also being considered by the council in a bid to balance its budget.

A consultation on the proposed closure of the Abbey House Museum runs until 23 January.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.