Tenby Museum and Art Gallery: At risk of closure

TENBY Museum and Art Gallery has received cross-party support from local AM’s after it emerged this week that it is facing closure due to local authority budget cuts.

The museum anticipates that the Local Authority funding will be nil or close to nil in future years. Tenby Museum is a successful tourist attraction with over 17000 visitors last year.

The Museum is an independent charitable trust and has been open in the town since the 1870s.

Among its many interesting displays and attractions is a recently updated gallery telling the fascinating story of Tenby from prehistory to modern times – including piratical legends and its involvement with the D-Day Landings.

The museum has won many awards over the years and recently the museum’s permanent art collection has been ranked at Number 6 in the Top 20 in Wales.

Every effort is being made by the Trustees to keep this important Pembrokeshire museum open and among the actions taken is a reduction in staff costs and a review of the admission charge.

The adult admission ticket, which is valid for one year after purchase, is a valuable stream of income; shop sales, the Friends organisation and commission from Art sales complement this. Accompanied children are welcomed free of charge at all times.

County Councillor Michael Williams, Chair of the Trustees, said; “The small admission charge keeps over 100,000 artefacts in good order. By regularly changing displays Tenby Museum is always constantly surprising local and tourist visitors. It is a special place with activities for the whole family and we believe that a visit to the museum and its galleries is Truly Memorable, Totally Magical. It would be a tragedy should it have to close.”

Plaid Cymru’s Simon Thomas immediately tabled a question to the Minister responsible for museums in Wales when he heard about the possible cut in funding to the museum by Pembrokeshire Council.

Party of Wales Assembly Member Simon Thomas said:

“I asked a question at the National Assembly for support for independent museums in Wales, such as the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.

“The museum expects a massive cut in the money from Pembrokeshire Council. The museum is important for tourism in Tenby. The resource should be protected as a jewel in the crown of the town.

“Plaid Cymru will be asking people to support the campaign to keep the museum on Saturday when my team hold a street surgery in the town centre.”

His concerns were echoed by Angela Burns, the Conservative Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, who has already met with Museum officials and has questioned Pembrokeshire Council officials as to whether the cuts are disproportionately affecting Tenby, with the Avenue Centre also facing closure:

“I have met with representatives of Tenby Museum and was surprised to learn of the scale of the cuts that Tenby Museum is being asked to absorb over the next few years and I have asked Pembrokeshire County Council to review the situation in order to ensure the proposals are not disproportionately affecting Tenby. I have also requested information on the cuts the museum services face across the county again because I want reassurance that areas such as museums, libraries and leisure facilities are not seen as an easy touch in comparison to the challenges of providing social care or education.

I hope that at my next meeting with the museum’s trustees I will be able to offer some possible alternative funding sources for them to apply too. Of course a key component in meeting the yearly costs are admission fees and in the rush of a busy life it’s very easy to forget about these gems such as Tenby and Narberth museums that are right on our doorstep. So I will also be suggesting ways of drawing more support from locals and tourists alike to keep these lovely places open”.

William Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales was equally concerned, stressing that it is important that future generations have an opportunity to discover Tenby’s unique history:

‘Tenby Museum and Art Gallery is in a real sense a Pembrokeshire gem – and I am very concerned indeed to hear that its’ future is in peril. The Tenby Museum Trustees have been proactive over the years in developing the attraction and have sought to build its sustainability, with revenue generated from the museum shop, art sales and admission fees.’

‘It is no secret that local authorities in Wales are under real budgetary pressure in the current fiscal climate, with austerity cuts coming down the track from Westminster. In this context, the Trustees are right to be alert to the danger of Pembrokeshire Council reducing its’ support. Whilst the Museum’s existing Service Level Agreement SLA does have another year to run, and the lease on the building continues for some time, it is timely for the Trustees to be reviewing the basis of the Museum and Gallery’s business model.’

‘Just as is the case with the threat to the Avenue Centre in Tenby, which I raised last week in the National Assembly with the Minister for Public Services, Leighton Andrews, AM, Tenby Museum and Gallery is an important part of community life in Tenby. I shall be attending the meeting on the Avenue Centre next week, with my friend and fellow Lib Dem campaigner, Alistair Cameron, our candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. I shall also be seeking a meeting with the Museum Trustees, to explore ways in which I may be able to assist. It is imperative that Tenby Museum is safeguarded for generations to come.’

You can help Tenby Museum and Art Gallery to stay open by purchasing a ticket to view their vast collection. All tickets purchased are valid for a year, and with the displays and collections regularly changing, it is great value for money.