Image: Abbey House Museum in Leeds (CC BY-SA 3.0 Jungpionier)
Plans to close the local council run museum have been dropped after a public consultation saw 10,000 responses
Abbey House Museum in Leeds will remain open after a “passionate response” to a public consultation, its operator Leeds City Council has said.
Last year, the council floated plans to close the museum, in the Leeds’ suburb Kirkstall, as part of measures to save £106.4m in its budget.
A petition was then launched by a member of the public to save the museum, which garnered more than five thousand signatures. Earlier this year, campaigners gathered outside the museum to protest the proposed move.
Now, the council says after considering almost 10,000 responses to its own public consultation, it has taken the decision to keep the museum open.
The museum, first opened in 1927 and based in Kirkstall’s original gatehouse, will operate as normal, and planning for upcoming events and exhibitions will continue.
The council said “savings still need to be made, and alternative options to secure to the savings required are currently being reviewed.”
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “The public response to the Abbey House Museum consultation has been incredibly passionate and we’d like to thank everybody who has participated.
“The overriding sentiment has been that people across Leeds clearly recognise the unique social value of our museums and galleries to their communities and local heritage.
“We have always been clear that these types of proposals are not ones that we ever want to bring forward. But the severe and sustained pressures on our budget have given us no choice but to consider some options which we would never normally look at.
“However, we are always committed to listening and responding to the views of the public and working to find solutions which fit their needs where we can.
“It was clear from ward members the strength of feeling locally, and this has been replicated from across Leeds in the consultation. As a result, we’re pleased to say the museum will stay open.
“What we need now is for people to channel the passion and enthusiasm they have demonstrated during the consultation into visiting and engaging with the site as much as possible over the coming months so we can all work to support its future.”
Currently, the museum is hosting an exhibition entitled Story Time, which includes a variety of historic books and games, each exploring the world of children’s stories.