A GROUP representing 11 Yorkshire councils has written to Chancellor George Osborne expressing its serious concerns about the possible closure of a major museum in the north of England.
The director of the Science Museum Group, Ian Blatchford, said it may be forced to shut either the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, the National Railway Museum in York or Bradford’s National Media Museum as a result of the Government’s squeeze on its budgets.
Now council leaders from across the Leeds City Region have written to Mr Osborne.
The region consists of 11 local authorities – Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield, York and North Yorkshire County Council.
The have told the chancellor the three northern national museums play a crucial role in educating and inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers to drive our country’s economy and its international competitiveness and should stay.
They say the museums are also vital to the local and regional economies of Bradford, York and Manchester.
According to the councils, the National Media Museum in Bradford contributes over £24 million per annum to the city and district’s economy in indirect offsite expenditure. It employs 103 full-time equivalent staff.
The National Railway Museum, in York, attracts 700,000 visitors a year with an economic impact of between £40-50 million. The group say it is a significant factor in the York’s plans to double the value of tourism in 10 years.
