Visits to Kirklees museums and galleries drop by 93,000 in one year – what do you think Kirklees Council should do to attract more visitors to its attractions?

Visitors to museums and galleries in Kirklees dropped by more than 93,000 in one year.

Records by Kirklees Council show there were 317,506 visits made to its museums and galleries in 2011/12.

But figures for last year show that number fell to 223,617.

Kirklees Council said: “Visitor figures to museums are a cause of concern and interest for the council. There are financial pressures associated with falling visitor levels.

“Lower figures also represent lost opportunities to enrich the lives of visitors for leisure, education, health and well-being purposes.”

Next Thursday members of the Scrutiny Panel for Development and Environment will assess the figures and a programme of work to boost visitors.

Council papers show that £305,000 cuts in operating budgets led to museums being closed on Mondays all year round and Fridays over winter.

Overall there was a 27% reduction in opening hours and the council says the full impact of those will be clearer in April 2014.

The Red House, once at risk of closure, was hit the hardest with a 40% drop in attendances.

The Oakwell Visitor Centre saw its visitor number drop from 114,137 to 77,052 in 12 months.

While Huddersfield Art Gallery, which had a bumper year in 2011/12, saw numbers drop back down nearer to previous levels of around 18,000.

But the overall drop has not solely been blamed on cost-cutting and day closures – the weather put paid to major events that had been planned to bring visitors in.

Events at Oakwell Hall and in Ravensknowle Park, next to the Tolson Museum, had to be cancelled this summer.

And tourist leaders Welcome to Yorkshire estimate museums and galleries region-wide were hit by 13 –26% drop as a result of poor weather conditions.

The council has come up with a series of proposals to boost numbers – from improving education services for children to linked ticketing.

They’ve also created a brochure for tourists which promotes Kirklees, that can be found at locations including ferry ports

Further ideas will be discussed at Thursday’s meeting at 2pm at Huddersfield Town Hall.