Ludlow's Buttercross to house town museum
Ludlow's landmark Buttercross is to become the home of the town's museum once more, it has been revealed.
Members of Ludlow Town Council, which owns the building, last night accepted an offer from Shropshire Council which will see the town's museum move lock, stock and barrel from its current location on the ground floor of Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
The museum, one of the oldest in the country and dating back to 1833, was also facing an uncertain future because of a planned revamp of the ground floor of the Assembly Rooms. It attracts more than 20,000 visitors per year to the town and was housed at the Buttercross up until 1992.
The Buttercross, which overlooks Broad Street, has been empty since 2009 when the town council had to move its offices out because chunks of plaster were falling from the ceiling.
It has since undergone an estimated £100,000 refurbishment project and its future use has been the subject of much debate, with suggestions including turning it into a lap dancing club and wine bar.
Daniel Lockett, visitor facilities manager for Shropshire Council, said: "Ludlow Museum is one of the oldest town museums in the country.
"Given the exciting potential redevelopment of the ground floor area at Ludlow Assembly Rooms, there is anticipated to be limited space to accommodate the town museum in its present form.
"Shropshire Council still wishes to see the town of Ludlow provide a dedicated museum in order to support the visitor economy of the town and to celebrate Ludlow's rich cultural history.
"To this end we have also explored options such as moving the museum displays to the library and resource centre.
"However, our preferred option, and that of the Friends of the Museum, would be to retain the museum within the centre of town where visitor footfall is highest and where the museum has always been located.
"Indeed, prior to 1992 the museum was located in the Buttercross."
Mr Lockett said Shropshire Council would provide £10,000 per year towards the running costs of the site and the council had voted unanimously in favour of the proposals.
Councillor Rosanna Taylor-Smith, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North, said she thought the Buttercross would lend itself "very well" to hosting the town's special artefacts.
Lottie James, chairman of the Friends of Ludlow Museum, said: "I am very much in favour of the proposal to return the museum to the Buttercross."
There are plans to install a lift for disabled access as part of the move, the meeting heard.
