We, the undersigned, strongly oppose Leicester City Council’s reckless plans for our museums. These short-sighted decisions will further erode Leicester’s cultural heritage.

The proposal to slash Newarke Houses Museum’s opening hours to just Saturdays between May and August is absurd.

You cannot improve access by locking the doors for most of the year. This museum isn’t just a collection of objects; it’s a living history experience, from its recreated streets and WWI trenches to the iconic Daniel Lambert chair and historic gardens.

Instead of promoting this incredible free resource, the council is starving it of visitors while pouring millions into unnecessary cafe projects almost £1 million at New Walk Museum, £500,000 at the fee-paying Richard III Centre and the costly £15 million revamp of the Jewry Wall Museum. Meanwhile, our museums that should be free are being neglected or forced into decline.

We’ve seen this all before. Belgrave Hall had its hours cut, visitors disappeared and now it’s set for closure and likely sale; just like Castle View, sold for £266,000 in 2023 and now listed for almost £1 million. Leicester’s assets are being offloaded for a pittance in bad/closed deals. We demand that Newarke Houses Museum remains open all year round.

The Labour council must stop gutting our heritage and prioritising vanity projects over public access to culture.

Please sign and share this petition; let’s make it clear: Leicester’s heritage matters and we won’t let it be destroyed. Thank you.

Nigel Porter 

07976348032