Council backs £250k proposal for museum improvements

A council has backed a funding proposal of £250,000 for a museum connected to the Grade II listed building in Surrey.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council's community and wellbeing committee backed the proposed investment into Bourne Hall Museum over the next two years.

If the investment proposal is rejected, other options include continuing with current operations with no new funding or closing the museum entirely, the council said.

Committee chair Clive Woodbridge said: "Bourne Hall Museum is a much-valued cultural asset for our borough. Recent reviews have made it clear that for the museum to remain relevant and sustainable, we need to invest in its future."

Following the recommendation, a formal funding request and business case will be prepared for the strategy and resources committee to consider in July.

Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell tracks the borough's history through collections that range from prehistoric times to the modern day, including Roman archaeology from local sites.

"With local government reorganisation on the horizon, ensuring a lasting legacy is more important than ever," Woodbridge said.

"I hope the strategy and resources committee shares this vision."

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