Funding award will allow "complete transformation" of Wiltshire Museum
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £8.5m to the Assizes for Devizes project
The Director of Wiltshire Museum has hailed a £8.5 million funding award as the culmination of a decade of a work.
The cash comes from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and goes towards the £14.8 million Assizes for Devizes project.
The scheme is aimed at transforming the derelict Assize Court building into a new home for Wiltshire Museum.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio about the funding, David Dawson told us it's a big moment for the museum's future.
David said: "It's just so fantastic because we've been working on this project for over 10 years, restoring a really important historic building and devices and then providing a new future home for the museum.
"It's the culmination of 10 years of effort to get to this point."
The funding secures the future of the museum, allowing it to move to a building David describes as "iconic".
He said: "What we'll get is a new home for the museum in an iconic building. It looks like a mini British Museum.
"We're bringing a building back to life, but it will give us everything we need more public spaces, a café that everyone asks for, brand new galleries.
"It's just a complete transformation of the museum."
Alongside securing the museum's future, it's set to bring a major boost to the local economy, with David telling us that it could generate millions.
"The museum already generates about £1,000,000 for the local economy. We're projecting that that will be well over 2 million, possibly even 3,000,000, by the time we open in 2030," he said.
Building work is expected to begin in 2027, ahead of opening in 2030.
Cllr Mel Jacob, Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Libraries, said “We are delighted to hear the good news that Wiltshire Museum has been awarded £8.5 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“The Assize Court has stood as a symbol of Devizes' rich history for generations, and this transformative project is a fantastic opportunity to breathe new life into one of Devizes' most significant heritage buildings and provide the museum with a purpose-built new home.
"We are proud to support this ambitious and visionary project, which will help to promote Wiltshire's distinctive culture to both residents and visitors, while also attracting more visitors to Devizes. Wiltshire council will continue to work in partnership with the museum to deliver the best possible outcomes for the town”.