Your support matters for ambitious new museum and cultural hub project for Wareham
New museum and cultural hub hopes to transform Wareham and give boost to local business
Wareham has a rare and exciting opportunity to transform a long-empty building into a vibrant new Town Museum and cultural hub for Wareham—preserving our rich history while breathing new life into the heart of the town. This project will not only celebrate our heritage with modern museum facilities and educational spaces, but also boost local tourism, support local businesses, and create a thriving community for future generations. With grant funding and community backing, the cost to residents will be minimal—yet the benefits could be truly transformational. Show your support by completing the consultation by Tuesday 19th August and helping shape Wareham’s future today!
Public Consultation for project
After years of anticipation, Wareham Town Council recently revealed an exciting and ambitious opportunity that could transform the heart of the town.
The Council has secured an option to purchase the old, long disused NatWest Bank at 2 North Street, with plans to breathe new life into the site and create a dynamic cultural hub for residents and visitors alike.
This landmark agreement will pave the way for the Town Council to acquire the building through a Public Works Loan. The project will be supplemented by various grants to transform the site into a state-of-the-art museum complex.
Not just a museum
The new Wareham Town Museum will also include an educational facility, tourist information area (which Wareham lost when this facility was stopped at the library a few years ago), and a new versatile exhibition space. The bank’s strong rooms would be utilized to store the existing collection ensuring that Wareham’s rich historical legacy is preserved for future generations.
A boost to the local economy
It is hoped that the benefits won’t stop there. This ambitious project for new museum and cultural hub aims to revitalise Wareham’s town centre, attracting more visitors and boosting local shops, cafés, and businesses.
With increased footfall, Wareham could see new job opportunities and fresh business prospects, creating a more vibrant, thriving local economy.
Alongside the museum project, the Council also plans to refurbish 3 East Street – the current home of Wareham Museum – to create a hireable community space and improved council offices. This, in turn, will free up the Town Hall to host more weddings and special events, maximising its use and bringing further economic benefits to the town.
Public Consultation
While the Council is confident about the positive impact of this project, they’re giving local people a chance to have their say in a public consultation. Taking place over the coming months the consulation will gather the views of Wareham residents, ensuring their voices are heard and their support for this transformative endeavour is secured.
The Town Council encourages all residents to participate actively in shaping the future of Wareham. A strong show of support for this project will help make the case for securing the necessary funding and ensure that the transformation reflects the needs and aspirations of the community.
This is an exciting moment for Wareham, marking the first step in turning a prominent, long-term empty town centre building into a vibrant centre of culture, learning, and tourism which can be enjoyed by visitors and residents alike. The project will also help to improve the look and feel of the heart of the town centre.
First phase for the project
The first phase of the project for the new museum and cultural hub is the purchase of 2 North Street (the former Natwest bank). To buy the building with a Public Works Loan, the Town Council needs the backing of local residents.
Support needed for small increase to precept
The town council take any impact to local tax payers very seriously and the principal to keep the precept as low as possible is the over-riding aim. However, for this project to become a reality an increase to the precept would need to be included to help cover the borrowing costs.
Less than £1.00 a week!
Unfortunately this part is unavoidable and therefore the council are looking for local support first. The council estimates that at current interest rates, the increase will be around £50 a year for a band D property, less if you are in band A-C, which is less than £1 per week.
Museum will create new funding opportunities
Once open, the new Museum and cultural hub is expected to be able to fund its own running costs by utilising various revenue streams. These may include revenue from exciting new temporary exhibitions as well as a gift shop for example. The new museum will also still be eligible for other grants such as those from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as others. The town council are certainly hoping to keep the running costs as low as possible by applying for these grants.
A project future generations can be proud of
The Town Council want to make it clear to local residents that they have certainly not entered the option to purchase lightly. The Council genuinely feel that the positives outweigh the negatives. Without projects like this, Wareham will stagnate, with the danger of more closed shops if there’s nothing new to attract more visitors. Many businesses struggle during the quieter, out of season months, and a new visitor attraction could really help boost them during the low season.
A new museum, tourism centre and exhibition space would be a fantastic project that future generations would be proud of. However, money has to come from somewhere and local residents support is paramount for this project to get off the ground!
