TOLSON Museum will be closed for two days a week.

A top Kirklees Council official took the controversial decision this week to save money.

The Moldgreen attraction is currently open seven days a week from 11am to 5pm on weekdays and from midday to 5pm at the weekend.

But from November the museum will be closed on Mondays and Fridays during the winter.

Opening hours have also been cut to 11am to 4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and midday to 4pm at weekends.

Next summer, Tolson Museum will be closed on Mondays and open from 11am to 5pm Tuesdays to Fridays. The venue will be open from midday to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Kirklees defines winter as November, December, January and February.

Kimiyo Rickett, the council’s assistant director for communities and leisure, decided on the cuts this week after the matter was passed on to her by elected councillors.

The new opening hours will come into force on October 1 at Tolson Museum as well as Oakwell Hall Visitor Centre in Birstall; Dewsbury Museum in Crow Nest Park and Bagshaw Museum in Batley.

Ms Rickett has also decided to reduce the opening hours at the council’s two historic houses – Oakwell Hall and Red House in Gomersal.

Both Bronte-linked attractions are currently open from 11am until 5pm on weekdays and from midday until 5pm at weekends.

But the two historic homes will be closed on Mondays and Fridays throughout the year.

Oakwell Hall and Red House will be open from 11am to 4pm on winter Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 11am to 5pm on midweek days in the summer.

The attractions will open from midday to 4pm during winter weekends and from midday to 5pm during the summer.

Ms Rickett wrote: “This decision was made in order to reduce costs in line with a decision of the council to reduce the budgetary provision for museums and historic houses.

“This decision was made on the basis of minimising the impact on service delivery to the public, bearing in mind the times of day and days of the week they currently visit.

“The opening hours selected were also designed to minimise the loss of income to the service”.