Museum bosses submit proposal to take over former Telford bank

Mythstories, a museum of myth and fable, wants to take over the former NatWest bank in Wellington.

It has now submitted its proposals to the bank, outlining what it would like to do to the building to meet their needs.

Museum owners Dez and Ali Quarrell say it is an exciting step forward in the project and they are keen to get a response back.

Ali said: "What it does it sets out how we want to take over the building and what we would like to do, which is very little structurally. It is such a beautiful building we don't want to go knocking walls down.

"What we do want to do is clean it all out, get the fires going and bring in some consultants who can show us what we can do to make it totally environmentally friendly. This shouldn't be invasive at all, although we can't pre-empt what the consultants will say.

"The people we have the opportunity to work with, should we get the building, are consultants who work with the Arts Council to reduce the costs of running buildings while at the same time causing as little harm as possible to the environment.

"It will be as carbon neutral as possible.

"We will need planning permission, but hopefully people won't object. We'd also like to put in a disabled access. At the moment there are steps up to the building but there is a space at the back that could be used as an area for a disabled access."

Mythstories began an internet campaign earlier this year to generate public support for the proposal to centralise the resource by moving from its current base in the Morgan Library, in Aston Street, Wem.

Ali said, if they are successful in getting the building, they will hold an open day in the shell of the building before work begins to let local people see their ideas and have their say.

She said: "It is really exciting.

"If the plans go ahead, we will hold these sort of events regularly.

"We're very pleased with the positivity we have had this far and how welcome they have made us feel."

NatWest closed the branch in July after the number of transactions fell by 23 per cent since 2011.

Ali said they have received letters of support from Telford & Wrekin Council, Wellington Town Council and individual councillors, and have been pleased to see the support for the project in Wellington.

NatWest confirmed it has been contacted about the building but declined to comment further.