Spalding Gentlemen’s Society plans for museum renovation gets green light after funding

Ambitious plans are being made towards repairing a town’s museum now that funding has been granted.

Spalding Gentlemen’s Society in Broad Street was earlier this week awarded £1,845,335 from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

An ambitious regeneration programme will start its first stage of work to improve the Grade II listed building and marks a turning point to make the museum accessible. The society also has plans to extend into the neighbouring business centre to create a new museum and learning centre.

Petronella Keeling, chair of trustees, said: “The work will repair our landmark, listed museum building, securing the future of our nationally important original collection which has recently been awarded designated status.

“As well as repairing the listed building, this grant enables us to demolish the rear extensions.

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“Spalding Gentlemen’s Society is hugely grateful to the department of culture, media and sport and the Arts Council England for their support, funded by the UK Government.”

While renovations are taking place, the society has been offered a temporary home in Spalding’s Ayscoughfee Hall – the family home of its founder – by South Holland District Council.

Ms Keeling said: “During the repairs the society will continue to run all its public, membership and volunteer activities, lectures, children’s workshops, projects with schools, young people and researchers.”

The society raised 20% of match funding themselves and to enable the demolition works it has had to purchase the neighbouring former business centre to access the extensions at the back.

Historic England experts recommended that the 1960s rear extensions of the museum should be demolished as they were pulling the older Grade II listed building apart.

To enable the demolition works the society purchased the neighbouring former business centre to access the extensions at the back.

Ms Keeling said: “The next step towards our ambition will be to find the funding to extend the museum into the former business centre site, to create a fully open public museum and learning centre.

“This facility will not only be great for schools and the residents of South Holland, but will bring visitors to Spalding - making the museum fully accessible for all.”

The museum will remain open to the public Tuesday – Saturday 10am-4pm until mid-September and the exhibition in the society’s room at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum will continue to change every few months.

Ms Keeling added: “In June our research library will open in Ayscoughfee as the Centre for Fenland Studies, followed early in 2025 with the original collection exhibition in the Ayscoughfee Fen’s Room.

“The society is grateful to Ayscoughfee Hall Museum and South Holland District Council for hosting our collection during our building work.

“We are Working with Ayscoughfee Hall Museum on new projects and with South and East Lincolnshire Councils’ Partnership on their National Portfolio Organisation project.

“Even though the venues will be different it will be business as usual for Spalding’s Gentlemen’s Society.”

Ayscoughfee Hall Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday 10.30am – 4pm.

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