Swindon Borough Council- Do the Right Thing!

Swindon Borough Council hopes to build a new cultural quarter, complete with museum and art gallery, in the town centre. Save our Museum and Art Gallery (SOMAG) supports this, but it’s not likely to happen for years – maybe decades – because as yet there is no funding for it.

Meanwhile, the council has closed Apsley House – the Bath Road building that’s been home to Swindon Museum and Art Gallery for about 90 years. It says the building, which it owns, has fallen into disrepair and isn’t fully accessible. It plans to repair Apsley House and sell it.

So, what next for our renowned Swindon Collection of Modern British Art and our wonderful objects and artefacts, which include internationally significant archaeology and palaeontology, and the beloved Swindon crocodilian? The council is considering converting part of its own offices in Euclid Street to a new museum and art gallery.

SOMAG welcomes converting the first floor of the council offices to a proper gallery. It will cost several million pounds to do that – there are very clear requirements on how to fit out galleries to 21^st century national standards.  However, if Swindon Borough Council want to make that investment, we support it. It would attract local visitors, tourists, and visits by schools, and would provide a welcome boost to Regent Circus and the town centre.

But if they’re not planning to spend the millions required, there is a second option. South Swindon Parish Council are offering to take over running Apsley House once it’s repaired. The Parish Council has plans to make it viable, and when the new cultural quarter is finally built it will hand Apsley House back for Swindon Borough Council to use as it wishes.

We are urging Swindon Borough Council to do the right thing.

·         Convert Euclid Street offices into a 21^st century quality museum and art gallery, by investing the several million pounds that will be required, or

·         Agree to hand over the lease of Apsley House to South Swindon Parish Council so the collections can remain on show until they can be moved to the cultural quarter.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

·         Sign the Change.org petition – Save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. Ask friends to sign too.

·         Write to councillors David Renard and Robert Jandy – drenard@swindon.gov.uk and rjandy@swindon.gov.uk asking them to agree on one of the two options above

·         Write to your MP – Robert.buckland.mp@parliament.uk (South Swindon) or Justin.tomlinson.mp@parliament.uk (North Swindon)

·         Join the Save Swindon Museum and Art Gallery Facebook group

·         Put the poster on the next post in your window

·         Join the SOMAG mailing list, by emailing admin@friendsofsmag.org

 

THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!