By Trevor Baxter
SADDLEWORTH MUSEUM and Art Gallery closes at the end of June until 2016 for its £1.25 million makeover – providing there are no bats in the building.
As part of the Uppermill tourist attraction’s biggest facelift since 1979, the Museum must first undertake a bat survey.
If any mammals are found the re-development ‘Into the Future’ project – which is seven years in the planning-will temporarily be put on hold.
“The outstanding thing that could slow us up is a bat survey,” confirmed Museum curator Peter Fox. “If we find any bats it could put us back six weeks.
“We haven’t seen any yet but at this time of year they are still hibernating.”
However, any delay will help Mr Fox and the Friends of Saddleworth Museum try to locate a key to the building’s mystery safe!
But when the green light is finally given, the doors of the High Street facility will close for nine months for the extensive refurbishment.
Groups regularly using the premises have found temporary homes while building work takes place to create a new entrance, new shop, new toilet facilities and re-display the exhibition galleries.
However, the popular monthly Farmers’ Market won’t be setting its stalls out in the village until next year.
The annual Friends’ plant sale on May 31 marks the last time the Museum’s 30,000 annual users will be able to see the building, which opened in 1962, in its current lay-out.
But doors will remain open throughout June while there are plans to erect a temporary structure during closure to give the Museum a presence, subject to Council approval.
“Some of the objects, however, will have been removed,” warnedMr Fox. “And no doubt we will discover things we have forgotten about.”
“There is so much of history we are not showing. There’s Annie Kenny (from Springhead) who rose from a mill girl to become a prominent suffragette.
“There’s also Ivan Hirst from Saddleworth who, at the end of the Second World War, got the Volkswagen factory up and running again in Germany.
“We can’t illustrate everything in Saddleworth and it won’t be the definitive history. But it will give everyone a good taster.
He added: “We have had a locksmith look at the mystery safe and he can’t open it!”
An extension on the front will take the building back to its original position on the edge of the High Street, with plans for a further side extension plus extensive interior re-designing.
“When the doors re-open some people might get a bit of a shock,” added Mr Fox. “Hopefully, they will view it through fresh eyes.”
During the closure Mr Fox, ten part-time staff and around 50 volunteers will still be raising funds for the Museum.
He said: “People think we are rich because we have got more than £1 million. But every penny is spoken for. Even the bat survey will cost £1,500.”
For more information contact curator Peter Fox on 01457 874093.
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