URGENT APPEAL!
Can you help?

If recent Kirkless Council proposals are passed, the delightful Red House Museum will be closed in September and the buildings sold (not necessarily as a museum)

Red House was built in 1660 and was the home of the Taylor Family until 1920. It has important Bronte connections and is now furnished as a home in the 1830s when Charlotte Bronte was a frequent visitor. Red House, the Taylor family and the Spen Valley area were all featured in Charlotte Bronte's novel 'Shirley'.

Also on site are the recreated 1830s gardens, the restored Barn which illustrates the numerous Bronte connections in the area and the renovated Cartsheds which houses the 'Spen Valley Stories' gallery.

Last year the site received almost 30,000 visitors and was recently awarded its second Sandford Award for the quality of its heritage educational services for schools. The site is an important asset for Kirklees and local businesses as a Tourist destination which attracts visitors from all over the world to the area.

Unlike Council Services which can be cut and reinstated in better economic times, if the proposal to close and sell the site were passed an extremely important part of Spen Valley's heritage would be lost forever.

The Council Cabinet are to meet on 7th February. There is to be no public consultation but they are inviting 'public dialogue'. The whole set of proposals – including overviews of the council spending and the approach of each directorate – is available on the council website http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/budgetspendingplans.
Comments have been invited by email to consultation@kirklees.gov.uk or via a local Councillor or by writing to Richard Butterfield, Museums Manager, Tolson Museum Stables, Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, Huddersfield  HD5 8DJ or email at richard.butterfield@kirklees.gov.uk