Agenda item

To consider the production of a business case for changes to museum opening hours.

The Committee considered the production of a business case for changes to museum opening hours.

The report indicated that Last year's review covered the Art Gallery and Museum and The Commandery. Due to the HLF funded developments at Hartlebury it was felt not appropriate to consider reviewing its opening patterns at this point. However in the intervening period a number of options for the ground floor space within the Art Gallery and Museum had been explored, one of which was the subject of a report to this meeting. As no firm decisions had been made on this or other options, the opening hours for the Foregate Street building had also been excluded temporarily until there was a clear direction. The report was therefore concerned with the opening hours at the Commandery.

Following a review it was proposed that the opening hours changes least likely to impact on the public were for the Commandery to close on Mondays and throughout the month of January. A longer period of closure during the winter months was considered but this would potentially have an impact on the Christmas season and promotions in December, as well as the Love Worcester campaign developed around February half term. It was proposed that opening on Bank Holiday Mondays be maintained as an exception to Monday closure. This new opening hours pattern would represent common practice at other museums and heritage sites.

These proposals would require changes to staff hours and deployment. Given the range of consultants' reports and in-house now in place identifying improvements to interpretation, visitor experience and marketing of the Commandery, it was also proposed that job roles be reviewed to ensure the best possible service to the public is maintained and enhanced from Tuesday to Sunday when most people want to visit.

Initial estimates of the savings (subject to grading) were £12-14K, assuming all income from the closed periods was lost and not displaced. Extra marketing resources would be required initially to inform visitors of the changes and to encourage visits on other days of the week. It was intended that opening hours would be reviewed again once new interpretation and an improved visitor experience is in place in 2-3 years.

In the ensuing debate, the following principal points were raised:

• In response to a query, the Museums General Manager explained that the basis for the proposed review of museum opening hours was to achieve cost savings

·         It was noted that the Foregate Street building had been omitted from the review of opening hours however it would be worth considering opening the building on Sundays. The Museums General Manager commented that the problem with proposals at the Foregate Street building was that an admission-free policy was in operation there and therefore there would be cost implications of opening on Sundays. It could only be possible to open on a Sunday if the building was closed on another day of the week. In contrast any costs as a result of changes to the opening hours at the Commandery could be recovered through increased admission charges. The Corporate Director – Service Delivery, Worcester City Council added that it was a local policy not to charge admission to the Museum and Art Gallery

 REsolvedthat:

a)   the production of a business case for changes to museum opening hours as set out in the report be approved; and

b)  the presentation of a final report to a future meeting, following consultation with staff, partners and stakeholders be approved.