Save Red House (again)

The Red House museum faces again the (very real) threat of closure. If nothing is done to stop this nonsense, the house of the Taylors will be close (and sold to a developer eventually) in October. The Telegraph & Argus informs:

A voluntary group has said its “worst fears” have been realised after Kirklees Council revealed plans to close an historic house in Gomersal.
Red House Museum in Oxford Road has strong links to the Brontë family - Charlotte Brontë was a frequent visitor and immortalised the house in her second novel, Shirley.
But Kirklees Council, which is having to make cuts to its budget, has put forward plans to close both Red House and Dewsbury Museum to save money.
The buildings would close later this year, after the October half term.
Their collections would be either transferred or stored and “appropriate uses” would be found for the buildings, a spokesman for Kirklees Council said.
Jacqueline Ryder, the chairman of the Friends of Red House Museum, said they were saddened by the announcement, especially as they were celebrating the bicentenary of Charlotte Brontë’s birth this year.
She said: “This news confirms our worst fears after months of rumour and speculation.
“Red House is a rare example of a yeoman clothier’s family house and workplace, complete with outbuildings and historic, award-winning gardens.
“It was owned and run by the Taylor family for 400 years, who made a substantial contribution to the area’s textile industry.
“The family even ran their own bank from Red House for a little while.
“Considering the close links with Charlotte Brontë it is very sad that Kirklees Council has made this announcement when we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of Charlotte’s birth.”
The proposals would see Oakwell Hall and Country Park in Birstall remain open.
A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “The council is planning to work closely with Friends organisations and other local groups and partners in the development of future services.
“The proposals are in line with the council’s overall response to its financial challenges – strengthening links with local communities, engaging people
with key issues and making best use of scarce resources.”
A public consultation has begun into the plans and will run until Sunday, July 24.
A spokesman for the Brontë Society said it would be taking part in the consultation, but declined to comment further.
There will be consultation sessions at each of Kirklees’ six art galleries and museums, where people can have their say.
There will be a session on July 13 at 11am at Oakwell Hall and Country Park and one on July 19 at 6pm at Red House Museum. Alternatively, visit kirkleestalk.org/index.php/get-involved/lets-talk-about-museums/. (Claire Wilde) 

EDIT: The Daily Mail has come to the rescue:

A museum that was the setting for a Charlotte Brontë novel is facing closure due to controversial council cuts.
Red House Museum, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, was built in 1660 and features heavily as 'Briarmains' in the author's 1849 book Shirley.
The eldest Brontë sister was a frequent visitor to the house, which was owned for 260 years by the wealthy family of her close friend Mary Taylor.
But Kirklees Council has now put forward plans to close it as part of a review of all museum services.
The decision has been criticised by groups celebrating the bicentenary of Charlotte Brontë's birth, who insist the museum building should be protected because of its unique history and literary links.
Chairwoman of the Friends of Red House Museum, Jacqueline Ryder, said: 'This news confirms our worst fears after months of rumour and speculation.
'Red House is a rare example of a yeoman clothier's family house and workplace, complete with outbuildings and historic, award-winning gardens.
'It was owned and run by the Taylor family for hundreds of years, who made a substantial contribution to the area's textile industry.'
The council had proposed closing Red House in 2012, but it was given a stay of execution.
But a spokesman for Kirklees Council says 'financial challenges' have forced it to review all museum services.
The spokesman said: 'The council is planning to work closely with Friends organisations and other local groups and partners in the development of future services.
'The proposals are in line with the council's overall response to its financial challenges - strengthening links with local communities, engaging people with key issues and making best use of scarce resources.'
A public consultation has begun into the plans and will run until Sunday, July 24.  (Steven Fletcher)

The proposal exactly says:

The available funding means we need to reduce the number of sites we manage. In our ‘Culture Kirklees’ document, it is proposed that we will eventually reduce the number to three.
Oakwell Hall and Country Park would stay open, along with Bagshaw Museum. Both of these sites are in North Kirklees. In the south of the district, both Huddersfield Art Gallery and Tolson Museum would stay open for the time being.
However, as part of our plans to attract more visitors into a revitalised Huddersfield town centre, we would look to develop a combined Huddersfield Museum and Art Gallery in a town-centre location still to be decided. Once this was open, Tolson Museum and the current Art Gallery would close and appropriate collections would transfer to the new site.
This would leave our three sites as Oakwell Hall and Country Park, Bagshaw Museum and a new Huddersfield Museum and Art Gallery. The proposals say the other sites would close – with their collections either transferred or stored – and appropriate uses would be found for these buildings.