Sneak thieves!
STEALTH tactics are being used to sneak through the closure of Kinneil Museum in Bo'ness.
That's the overwhelming view of horrified locals who are furious at Falkirk Council's plans to close the facility.
Short-sighted in the extreme, ludicrous and arbitrary — just some of the comments the Journal has gathered since we revealed last week that the museum was for the chop.
While no final decision has been taken, the environment and heritage committee has recommended closure in favour of the town's Roman artefacts being stored in a revamped Hippodrome and Callendar House in Falkirk.
Members of the council's policy committee will have the final say, but there is a strong feeling in Bo'ness that closure is a foregone
conclusion.
In a statement to the Journal this week, the council's culture chief Sue Selwyn appeared to fan those flames.
She said: "The Hippodrome is central to the overall THI project and we have to ensure that it is feasible.
"The environment and heritage committee agreed to recommend the transfer of the museum function to the Hippodrome and also to consult with the community on future uses of the museum and its collections in the coming months."
And that would seem to
indicate local folk are right to be fearful for the museum's future.
However, Bo'ness folk and
historians are enraged at the "lack of vision" being shown by the authority.
In a bid to ensure people know about the plans, and to gauge opinion, a poll was launched on the town's website — www.
bo-ness.org.uk — on Tuesday.
Webmaster Rob Willox said: "The council is sneaking the
closure of Kinneil Museum in through the back door, on the back of the Hippodrome announcement.
"Many people don't even know about the closure plans, yet it would appear it is already a fait accompli.
"It's ridiculous, as are the plans. The council pays lip service to the town's heritage through the THI initiative but is planning to close a resource like Kinneil.
"The estate is the northern most outpost of the Roman Empire: it's known to be the start of the Antonine Wall, which is going for World Heritage status.
"Yet they're closing the
museum and taking the artefacts to Falkirk. It's ludicrous and short-sighted in the extreme."
Bo'ness community councillor Adrian Mahoney fumed: "The council claims there will be
consultation but the Hippo-drome work is going out to
tender in March and is reliant on Kinneil Museum closing. How can they consult on something that has already been decided? Why all the secrecy?
"I haven't seen plans for the revamped Hippodrome but my understanding is the building would struggle to accommodate some of Kinneil's exhibits.
"My fear is our Roman relics will simply be shipped six miles down the road to gather dust in a corner of Callendar House."
Mary Harper, who has lived in the Duchess Anne Cottages on Kinneil Estate for 20 years, said: "This is an arbitrary decision which has come out of the blue.
"The council claims footfall at the museum has fallen. If they publicised it the way they do Callendar House, I'm sure more folk would find it.
"I've lived here for 20 years and lost count of the times people have driven up and down the drive hunting for the museum.
''The costs they'll save from closing the museum must be minute. It's only open four hours a day and will still have to be maintained so they can't possibly justify it on costs. The council has been underhand and forged ahead with these proposals with no involvement with, or thought for, local people."
Ian Scott of Falkirk Local History Society added: "There's recently been a consultation on the heritage strategy for Falkirk district but at no time was closure mentioned. Kinneil ought to be developed — not downgraded.''
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Weather for Linlithgow
Thursday 24 May 2012
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