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Author Topic: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...  (Read 24148 times)

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Offline Anne

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Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« on: December 22, 2009, 05:32:03 PM »
Our earlier topic about the proposed closure of the museum has spanned 433 posts over a vast number of pages, but now seems the time to lock the "... to close" topic and start a new one with ideas of how to move the campaign forward.

A couple of recent stories in the Stourbridge News:
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4785001.Fears_for_consultation_on_glass_heritage_future/ and
http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/4787979.Glass_row_heats_up_after_Cabinet_vote/ outlines both the fears of the campaigners that Dudley has made up its collective mind regardless of the feasibility study results, and what happened at the last Dudley MBC meeting on 9 December.

Cllr Lowe said: “The meeting had more council officers than elected representatives or community groups, at the moment the council leadership is listening to officers more than the community.”

In a report for the cabinet meeting, council officers are recommending the next stage of the study should focus on developing detailed proposals and costings for moving the collection to the Cone after the successful purchase of the Stuart Crystal buildings.

As this sounds like a done deal, some of the points which need to be raised both in the media and with the council are:

The Council needs to listen to local opinion, to the Friends of BH, and to all interested parties wherever they may be. They need to involve the glass community in any steps they take for the collections and archives.

Where is Dudley MBC's councillors' commitment and authority in this? Is the cabinet going to let council officers and bean-counters who do not care about collections decide on their future?

Does Dudley MBC honestly realise just how important these collections really are?

It's time we as glassies put pen to paper or finger to keyboard once more and added our views again by writing to Bev Holder at the Stourbridge News and to the Editor at the Express and Star to express how we feel about the way that DMBC are handling this. Do we want the glass collection to be moved to the site being pushed by council officers or do we want Dudley MBC to really think outside the box and give the collection the housing it deserves?

http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/contactus/
http://www.expressandstar.com/about-us/contact-us/
Cheers! Anne, da tekniqual wizzerd
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Offline Anne

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2009, 05:46:45 PM »
Also, write to anyone else you can think of. Letters to the national dailies are great as it raises the profile of the whole campaign and makes local councillors aware that the eyes of the whole country are upon them!

Forthcoming elections are also a great way to focus the mind of elected representatives!

To find the website and contacts of your favourite / targeted newspaper, national or local, this site is useful:
http://dailynewspaper.co.uk/ 8)
Cheers! Anne, da tekniqual wizzerd
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Offline keith

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2009, 07:30:02 PM »
There was a front page article in todays 'Black Country Mail' by Steve Bradley,Thursday,31st Dec'
      According to coun' Jones they had abandoned the idea of seeking funds for a new facility because of a likely £7 million plus bill,he also said the move to Red House Cone would go ahead as long as they could afford the projected cost of up to £5 million and that "it is our intention to relocate to 'the cone' but we don't know yet whether it is viable" and in relation to creating a new museum he said "I'm sorry,we haven't got that kind of money."
       Thought I should post this,Keith.

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Offline aa

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2010, 11:42:00 AM »
Hello & Welcome to the Board! Sometimes my replies are short & succinct, other times lengthy. Apologies in advance if they are not to your satisfaction; my main concern is to be accurate for posterity & to share my limited knowledge
For information on exhibitions & events and to see images of my new work join my Facebook group
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Introduction to Glassblowing course:a great way to spend an afternoon http://www.zestgallery.com/glass.

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Offline Will F

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2010, 04:11:39 PM »
Greetings all,
First may I will introduce myself, I am the newly elected Chairman of the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers, and I also run my own scientific glassblowing company and have been involve in our "community" since 1973.
Broadfield House has a special place in my life and that's because we all know that IT is a special place.
I have been in communication with Janet Hendry for a few months now, ever since we met at the meeting when the Local Council called a public meeting to "show" the public the options.... Those options were extremly biased in favour of a total closure of the museum, I voiced my opinion to exclaim my shock and horror at a ludicrus expense in terms of public funds and a crazy idea to shut the existing museum.... The public and the press were behind this and for all the work that Janet had done to highlight the madness, the Council then put out a public statement to say that a U turn has been taken and the Museum was safe.
It now looks like the Council were telling untruths and that a decision MUST have taken place in camera and I think that those minutes of that meeting should be made public
I would like to express my thanks to Janet for the work that she has done to keep "OUR" glass collection safe. I believe that Janet has an article that will be publised in our (BSSG) Journal and I will be making sure that I will be following up on this story. I will be writing to the MP of that District to explain what is going on when the local authority is making and taking liberties with local public funds and a National Treasure..... rant over !
I whole heartily give my personal 100% support to Janet's work and I will be expessing my feelings to other "Official" glass societies and companies.


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Offline Anne

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2010, 04:47:43 PM »
Will, welcome to the board and thank you for your update on the current situation. It's sad to hear that Dudley MBC has done a U-turn - although I suspect many of us aren't surprised to hear it - most politicians appear to be less trustworthy by the day if the news stories are to be believed!

The board has supported the campaign to save the museum from the outset - we as glassies know its value but we need to get that message back out again to the wider community, this time going to national government and press and making as much fuss as we can. We have elections on the horizon - can we use this in some way to push the campaign along?

There are lots of people willing to help, we just need to know how best to do so. :)
Cheers! Anne, da tekniqual wizzerd
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Offline nigel benson

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2010, 10:54:44 PM »
Hello All,

In a meeting with campaign representatives in December the council, through Cllr Les Jones, made it very clear that they were going on with the RHC proposals regardless of what we campaigners think, feel, or believe.

For my part I fervently believe this to be a mistake on behalf of DMBC, not because of my bias toward protecting the heritage of British glass, but also because I truly think they are missing a major opportunity to aid local regeneration and increase visitors to the area - which in turn will mean income to the locality.

Of course this is only an opinion, however DMBC appear to give great credence to opinion, since their own officer, Duncan Lowndes, gave his opinion in that same meeting that a Trust for the museum, its collections and archives, would not work. There was no empirical evidence for this, purely an opinion. Apparently that is OK when it is an officer of DMBC .

Whereas Duncan Lowndes cannot back up his opinion with facts, I can - by using DMBC's own documents, whereby they clearly state that their aim is to increase overnight stays in the area.

So, in order to do this they propose close a good attraction that they have not given publicity to over the years (BHGM), in favour of supporting an ailling attraction (RHC) which they cannot close, since, if they do, they will have to repay monies given by European Funding to revamp the RHC.

Of course, rather than examine what might work on that site they follow a course that is based purely on an idea, without substantiation, that by moving another attraction in it will answer the problem. Forget the problems associated with the 'A' road passing by, and the lack of parking facilities that are actually NOT owned by the council. Instead follow a 'wizzo' idea.

If DMBC were serious they would have gone about this in a direct way, rather than hide their intentions behind what they will claim to be an independent study - which it cannot be since it's terms of reference were dictated by themselves, through their officers, and not the wider requirements of the borough dictated by their own documents and proposals for the area regarding regeneration and tourism.

Furthermore, when challenged to substantiate the figure of £7 million pounds to develop an unspecified site, they refused - might this be because in someone's opinion  it will cost that much. Why, because whoever it was stuck their finger in the air and the answer was (shock, horror) £7m !!!

What a bunch of untrustworthy, devious people we really are dealing with. But, why should I be surprised, they are politicians, albeit led by officers of the council.

When the council representative appointed to read this thread does so, please report my comments in full.

Many thanks, Nigel Benson

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Offline Will F

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2010, 12:22:42 AM »
What I could not understand as well, was that the Council believe that they can get 50,000 people a year through the doors of the so called "new" Red Cone site...Do they really believe that about 1000 people a week would be able to go through the facility and would be able to park their cars, with only about 40 car park spaces nearby... Crazy or what ! AND that's with them cramming the Glass Collection into a dark building that has to be altered to accommadate differently abled persons to view the collection.
The whole idea is madness with the intent to release funds from the sale of the Broadfield House building and use public funds to support that sale.
I would love to know the names of the people that the Chairman of the Council meeting said he spoke to " That were very high up in the Glass industry" as I know a vast amount of "those" people, I would love to talk to them as well and see what they make of it all.
Then with the Main road that is always congested and also a canal running on the otherside of the Cone, it is madness to believe that the Council can magic up more space... ohhhhh yeah they (the Council) bought the old building that was a glass company that went bust (due to the lack of passing trade even though they had visitors next door in the Cone) How come that the sale was not for "open" release for potential buyers ??? ohhhh yeah, cheat cards were being used to secure that sale !!!!
The arrogance of the Council that think "they" know best is breathtakingly unbelievable.

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Offline Bernard C

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2010, 08:40:07 AM »
Will — I will add my own warm welcome to the GMB to Anne's (I'm a committee member).

Your comments sparked off an historical line of thought that has not been discussed, although it may not prove useful.   I don't believe that it was just the canals and local resource availability that brought the glass industry to Stourbridge.   Multiple land ownership and its situation in several parishes across a county boundary meant that the glass entrepeneurs could operate relatively free of political interference.   I think our glass forefathers would be horrified at the amalgamation of this area under one remote and hostile authority.

Bernard C.  8)

ps — any possibility of sharing transport to the Dudley / Stourbridge area to keep costs down?
Happy New Year to All Glass Makers, Historians, Dealers, and Collectors

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Offline Janet H

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Re: Broadfield House Glass Museum - the next step...
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2010, 02:13:57 PM »
Hi All,

I have been chosen as the Lib Dem candidate for the Kingswinford South Ward. (this is where Broadfield House Glass Museum is)

I have campaigned for 12 months now to preserve, enhance and promote the glass collections and archives.

We are proud of the glass heritage in the Dudley Borough and hope one day to promote it in the manner it deserves.

Janet Hendry
Leader of Save Our Glass Heritage

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