WYCOMBE Museum will remain at its historic site in Priory Avenue.
Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet rubberstamped a plan to invest £257,000 to enable the museum to remain at Castle Hill House.
Council chiefs also agreed to continue with the museum’s transfer from council control to the newly created Wycombe Heritage and Arts Trust.
Refurbishments will include the instillation of a lift in the museum building and additional parking spaces on site.
Cllr Tony Green, in supporting the proposals, urged the council to look at adding an outdoor cafe to capitalise on the site’s full potential.
He said: “Part of the benefit of this site is the grounds – it’s a park in the town centre, effectively, and its potential is massively underused.
“There’s big potential there and I think having a cafe on the ground floor is not the best that could be achieved. I would hope we could look at a standalone cafe building.
“It would make it a lot easier for outside events, perhaps even wedding receptions etc, and would be an added revenue stream.”
Members supported Cllr Green’s idea but said any outdoor cafe would have to be built at no cost to the council and would also be subject to tough planning regulations, given it is a Grade II Listed site.
The council told the BFP there are “no current suggestions it will be leaving” Queen Victoria Road but added it is looking at its current arrangements in the face of the economic climate and reduced staff.
The arts trust is expected to take over the day-to-day running of the museum in 2015.
The move saves the council money and will also enable the trust to apply for grants not available to WDC.
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