Urgent Update

The Council have stipulated they are not proposing to close the museum only relocate it.   This is why they could place the consultation about the proposed sale of the current building as a ‘budget consultation’, lasting no more than a couple of months, stating that this won’t affect Walsall people.

With the current timescale the cabinet meeting to agree the budget will be on the 12th of February 2025. Therefore, this petition will need to be presented shortly.

The Building on Littleton Street is an historical asset that we think won’t be recreated with equal historical significance elsewhere. We don’t want to lose this cherished space, nor the services it provides and the potential it could provide.

We are unclear about where and when this relocation will take place, except that it will be within the town centre. The parking alone will greatly affect Walsall people not to mention the loss of our cherished historical asset which has served generations of Walsall people.

These are the current services provided by the Leather Museum; - Authentic historical leather workshops on two floors, conference space, school and coach party visits with guided tours and a designated parking bay, A long stay carpark opposite the museum providing convenient disabled parking. Leather and craft workshops, children’s holiday activities, exhibition space, museum shop selling local leather goods, volunteer opportunities, light refreshments, a specialist library of Walsall’s historical leather trade and the many historical artefacts on display which Walsall leather museum curates. Its current location is a short walk from Walsall town centre. The picnic area and shared gardens are a haven away from the hustle and bustle of the shopping area.

Can a relocation hope to provide this abundance of services and space? It would need a huge investment.

Please tell your friends and family about this proposal and get in touch with your local M.P. and councillor. Information about this can be found on Walsall Council website.

Let’s get our voice heard, save our cherished Leather Museum building!

A protest march organised by local fashion designer Lauren Broxton who has worked passionately to promote this petition and spread the news about the council’s proposal.

 This will take place on Saturday 8th of February, meeting at The Sister Dora statue, Bridge Street, WS1 1LG at 12pm. March will start at 1pm to head towards current leather museum on Littleton street at 1pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Our group has been touched deeply and personally by the Walsall Leather Museum - a unique cornerstone of our heritage and a beacon of our community’s shared history. For those of us who have worked in lineage with this Museum, we've welcomed visitors from around the world the UK. It has hosted local families for holiday activities, and opened the doors to schools and coach parties. We're proud that Walsall has the only Leather Museum in the UK open daily, marking it as a unique tourist attraction and an emblem of the country's rich history in leather production. 

Sadly,  Walsall Council has proposed the sale of this cherished establishment, deemed the last remaining Heritage Asset that Walsall possesses. Instead of preserving our valued museum, they are considering moving some of the artifacts to an unidentified building, potentially the Saddlers Centre, with a vague suggestion of a digital counterpart.

Yet, we firmly believe that this will make a difference to the people of Walsall. The museum represents more than just a building; it is a meeting place, an educational resource, and a symbol of our unique leather-working heritage. Once it's gone, it cannot be replaced.

With the threat of this closure looming over us and the urgency of Walsall Councils consultation closing on the 29th of November, we urgently call upon all who have cherished moments, learned something new, or felt a kinship with the Walsall Leather Museum to raise their voices against this proposal. Let us preserve this beacon of national pride and personal heritage.

Now is the time to stand and appeal to the Walsall Council, urging them to reconsider their plans to sell our beloved Leather Museum. Sign this petition today to help save a cornerstone of local and national heritage.