The Windsor and Royal Borough Museum and valued Tourist Information Centre, housed within the historic Grade 1 Listed Guildhall, face an uncertain future as the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) contemplates shocking budget cuts.

Opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2011, the museum has been a focal point for local residents and tourists alike, attracting over 65,000 visitors annually. Accredited and family-friendly, it stands as a testament to the unique local history of our area. The museum holds more than 13,000 objects that vividly reflect the history of Windsor over centuries and are enjoyed by local school children as well as national and international audiences.

The Tourist Information Centre serves as a valuable resource offering visitor information and ticket sales in the support of many local attractions.

Closure is a devastating prospect for the local community and for tourism in Windsor and surrounding areas. The staff and many volunteers offering their time are hugely knowledgeable, and redundancies are unthinkable. The museum alone contributes significantly to our local economy and civic society. 

I am particularly disappointed in the opaque and hidden nature of these proposed cuts. There is supposedly an ongoing consultation on the admittedly challenging RBWM budget, but it shouldn't take concerned stakeholders to bring this to our attention and raise the alarm. The Council should be considering these valuable resources as an asset to our town, not a liability.

If you agree that Windsor should have its history and Royal heritage celebrated, not diminished please sign and share this petition.

Jack Rankin
Conservative MP candidate for Windsor