Shorter opening hours for Buxton Museum will be discussed

The museum, on Terrace Road, is currently closed until spring but Derbyshire County Council is looking at cutting back the times it will be open to the public by 12 per cent in a new cost-cutting measure.

This proposal is going to be discussed at a cabinet meeting next week and members have been asked to agree to a six-week consultation period for changes to opening times.

A report produced ahead of the meeting by the strategic director for Economy, Transport and Communities states: “Revised opening hours and a proposed staffing structure may realise a saving of up to £30,000 from the BMAG budget.”

The museum is more than halfway through a £1.5m refurbishment with money coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Wolfson Foundation, Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund and £300,000 from Derbyshire County Council.

Buxton Museum is normally open five days a week for a total of 39.5 hours, 9.30am to 5.30pm and between 10.30am to 5pm every Sunday and bank holiday from Easter to the end of September. However, this service reduced to 35 hours a week opening 10am until 4pm with Sunday and bank holiday hours just 12pm to 4pm.

If approved the consultation will run from April to June, July to August there will be an evaluation of the results and in September cabinet will make the final decision.