Eastleigh Museum set to close over financial and staffing issues

A museum that shifted out of council control in 2014 is set to close over financial and staffing problems.

Eastleigh Museum was taken over by Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) after being transferred from the county council as part of cost cutting.

The trust said the closure was prompted by the charity whose volunteers staff the museum moving elsewhere.

It said there was no date for re-opening, but it hoped to find a "resilient model" for running it.

The museum in the Hampshire town's high street houses local history collections as well as hosting a programme of exhibitions.

It is currently staffed by volunteers from the One Community charity, which uses it as an access point on the high street for its outreach services. It will move to space at the town's Swan Centre.

HCT's chief executive Paul Sapwell said it meant the trust was "not in a financial position to support staffing the museum and front-of-house running costs".

He said the trust was in discussions with Eastleigh Borough Council and Hampshire County Council over the museum's future.

"If we are able to agree a sustainable model for the museum going forward, we would like to reopen later in the year on a reduced hours basis whilst we fundraise and plan for a capital redevelopment.

"Culture on the high street is essential to the community and economic health of any town or city and with a sustainable model and the right funding support, we see Eastleigh Museum as a major attractor," he added.

The museum was one of a number of cultural assets off-loaded by the county council in 2014, included Bursledon Windmill, City Museum, Winchester and Aldershot Military Museum.

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