Snibston to close

The position of Snibston - as with many others similar Museums et alia - that are operated by local councils is that the Councils neither understand the centre itself or the market in which it operates hence they "waste" money by not directing it.

Locally this was seen many years ago with the Southport Flower Show when the event was controlled by Sefton Council which not only failed to realise that "Flower Show" was geared to Horticulture and not the political displays that it tried to include but failed to direct efforts at the correct markets. Inevitably it lost money and the Council withdrew funding BUT a local group of businessmen took it over. They concentrated on marketing it to the correct sector (those interested in horticulture), changed the emphasis of the annual show and are now enjoying both increased publicity and profits year on year. Despite this success, however, the council is still prepared to close facilities (e.g. libraries) without allowing support groups the opportunity to both market and operate them in a different way that will prove more successful than the council's blinkered approach.

The worrying feature of this scenario is that Councils seem to be operating under the illusion that if they can't make it pay then nobody else can - and they won't offer any other body the opportunity to prove otherwise. Why can't Councils understand that their role in the Community is to create the frameworks for local society to operate and not seek to operate the levers that actually operate local society; in that respect be the micro equivalent of the Government which should follow the same thesis of creating the framework of society and let individuals decide how best to function within it.

 

I note your reference to Shildon and on my visits I have noted how the staff refer to it as "our museum" because it is part of the Shildon Community; not to disrespect York but one does not get the same feeling of "ownership" when one visits. For all my visits to both sites I much prefer the ambience of Shildon where the staff give you the feeling that (1) it is their museum (2) it forms part of the local community by providing community and social service provision (3) staff welcome you as a visitor and (4) take pleasure in your pleasure. I compare that to York where everyone is pleased to see you BUT you get the feeling that staff (1) welcome you to only that part of the Museum service in which they operate (2) don't relate to identifying their part of the Museum facilities to the Museum as a whole (3) don't seem to have a commitment to the Museum but only to that service in which they currently operate and (4) seem to lack any idea of association with the local community.

In terms of Snibston how far does the current museum operating methods and local community involvement actually meet ?

 

More here:-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-31068419

 

Rather an old thread to dig up, but another former exhibit "escaping" from the site is apparently a Midland Railway brake van which is going to the Montsorrel Heritage Centre collection, joining the loco and wagon they were given previously. Plan is to restore it from its current decrepit state and ownership will then be transferred to its new home.