Image: Abbey House Museum in Leeds (CC BY-SA 3.0 Jungpionier)
Leeds City Council’s cost-cutting plans spark 150-strong protest and 5,000-signature petition
A protest took place over the weekend in opposition to the potential closure of a museum in Leeds.
Around 150 people took part in the demonstration outside Abbey House Museum, reports the BBC. Campaigners hope to ensure that the cost-cutting option, announced by Leeds City Council, is not taken.
Council documents show the closure of the museum could save operating costs of around £160,000. If taken, the closure would be part of wider cost-cutting measures hoped to total £106m in savings.
In the introduction to its consultation, the council writes: “We’ve already cut costs where we can – for example, through a freeze where possible on recruitment and non-essential spend. But this isn’t enough.
“None of these proposals have been put forward lightly but we have a legal duty to set a balanced budget and so need to make some difficult decisions to make the best use of the resources we have.
“The museum is used by schools and communities, welcoming over 5,300 pupils from schools across the region and 1,938 people from community groups in the last financial year. The museum has seen a decline in visitors over the last three years, seeing visitor figures of just over 39,000 in 2023/24.
The protest follows the launch of an online petition to ensure the museum’s future. It has now received signatures from more than 5,000 people.
Petition to halt Leeds museum closure gains thousands of signatures
Abbey House Museum in Leeds features three replica Victorian streets complete with period shops, pub, and houses, alongside childhood galleries and temporary exhibitions on the first floor. The museum, which opened in 1927, is housed in Kirkstall Abbey’s original gatehouse, notable for its vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows.
The consultation on plans for the museum’s future runs until Saturday, 25 January 2025. It is taking place in parallel with another consultation about access to the main ruins of nearby Kirkstall Abbey.