Save Cogges Museum
Opposition grows to museum closure
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| The future of Cogges Farm Museum has come under review as the council seeks to save £250,000 |
PRESSURE is building on Oxfordshire County Council in a bid to prevent the closure of Cogges Manor Farm Museum.
A petition signed by hundreds of people calling for the Witney working farm museum to be saved has been circulating in the town and schools.
It will be presented on Wednesday before a meeting of the county council's social and public services scrutiny review committee.
The future of the farm has come under review as the council seeks to save £250,000 in its museum service. The 20-acre site could be sold and staff made redundant as part of an overhaul.
But campaigners are not prepared to surrender without a fight and were busy at the weekend convincing visitors at the end-of-season closure of Cogges of the need to preserve the working Victorian farm and museum.
Judy Poole, front right, from Newland Mill, Witney, was dressed in Victorian costume with a placard around her neck calling on the public to join in the fight to prevent closure.
She said: "It is inconceivable that they should be thinking of closing Cogges Farm.
"It is a wonderful educational resource and a unique piece of English heritage. We must fight to save it."
10:45pm Sunday 2nd December 2007
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CommentPosted by: Joan, Witney on 8:59am Mon 3 Dec 07
Education is supposed to be improved not decimated.
Education is supposed to be improved not decimated.
Posted by: Graeme, witney on 9:03am Mon 3 Dec 07
What is WODC and the Town Council doing to save the museum? WODC withdrew funding a few years ago, yet this is about the only asset left in Witney for the people of Witney that hasn't been flogged off for housing. Witney has no other assets, so pull your finger out WODC and Town Council and start earning your wages
What is WODC and the Town Council doing to save the museum? WODC withdrew funding a few years ago, yet this is about the only asset left in Witney for the people of Witney that hasn't been flogged off for housing. Witney has no other assets, so pull your finger out WODC and Town Council and start earning your wages
Posted by: Web Watcher, West Oxfordshire on 11:53am Mon 3 Dec 07
Witney just cannot justify having two museums. Merging the Witney Town Museum with the Cogges Museum with joint funding from the County, District and Town Councils would save a lot of money and probably result in more visitors. Why has this option not been considerd if funds are so tight?
Witney just cannot justify having two museums. Merging the Witney Town Museum with the Cogges Museum with joint funding from the County, District and Town Councils would save a lot of money and probably result in more visitors. Why has this option not been considerd if funds are so tight?
Posted by: chris, cogges on 12:45pm Mon 3 Dec 07
If WODC cannot afford to run it see about giving it to the National Trust or see if you could go into partnership with them, they are experts at running places like this.
If WODC cannot afford to run it see about giving it to the National Trust or see if you could go into partnership with them, they are experts at running places like this.
Posted by: rosemarie1, Witney on 7:47pm Mon 3 Dec 07
This museum is of real benefit to Witney. Of itself it is of great interest to the people of Witney but it also attracts visitors who go into Witney itself. Passing it to the National Trust if they would accept it is a good idea too.
This museum is of real benefit to Witney. Of itself it is of great interest to the people of Witney but it also attracts visitors who go into Witney itself. Passing it to the National Trust if they would accept it is a good idea too.
Posted by: rosemarie1, Witney on 7:48pm Mon 3 Dec 07
This museum is of real benefit to Witney. Of itself it is of great interest to the people of Witney but it also attracts visitors who go into Witney itself. Passing it to the National Trust if they would accept it is a good idea too.
This museum is of real benefit to Witney. Of itself it is of great interest to the people of Witney but it also attracts visitors who go into Witney itself. Passing it to the National Trust if they would accept it is a good idea too.
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