More than 100 demonstrate against museum move

More than 100 people turned out to protest against plans to move Walsall's leather museum on Saturday.

The local authority plans to relocate it from its current home in a former leather-making factory to a new site in the centre of the town.

It approved the relocation plans in September, giving permission for Walsall College to use the Littleton Street West building instead.

But opponents have argued the current building is important to the town's leather making history and have complained of a lack of transparency.

One of the leading campaigners, Lauren Broxton, said: "The current location reflects the history, the heritage and the people of the borough perfectly where it is."

The former factory was recently given Grade II listed status, placing limits on its future development and she said: "The building is important."

"It is a factory and that is important to reflect the working people and the working class culture of this town, that built the leather industry to be what it was."

Richard Roberts, one of the protesters, said the turnout on Saturday had been the "best we've had" and hoped the move could still be halted.

He said it might still need ministerial approval and there was also the possibility that control of Walsall Council could change hands in May's local authority elections.

Roberts said the museum had been saved twice before and added: "It's truly bizarre that the council has been obsessed with wanting to close the museum for over a decade."

The BBC has approached Walsall Council for a response to the demonstration, but earlier this month the leader of the authority, Mike Bird, said the new site would "bring footfall to the town".

He also said the new listed status would not affect the move.

Speaking about the current site, which is due to close on 11 April, he said: "If you look at the visitor figures last year only 14,000 people visited which was half of what used to be there."

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