Owner confirms Thwaite Watermill museum to permanently close if lease ended by Leeds City Council

The Thwaite Watermill museum, in Stourton, is one of the last remaining examples of a water powered mill in Britain.

It stands stoically on a tiny island in the River Aire and excites heritage enthusiasts with the story of the milling industry in Leeds.

But the days of its education for visitors could soon be over, as the council desperately tries to make savings.

A dramatic series of proposals were unveiled by the authority this week, that included axing 750 jobs, doing away with council buildings, and introducing car parking charges at popular attractions like Roundhay Park.

The measures – that have yet to be officially signed off – come as the council seeks to set a balanced budget for the next financial year.

To do that, it must save £58.4m over the next 12 months, alongside £7.4m of already agreed savings. Without setting its legally required balanced budget, it would effectively be declaring bankruptcy.

One of its planned actions is to end the lease at Thwaite Watermill.

The site is owned by the Canal and River Trust.

The trust confirmed this week that if the lease ends, it would not be able to afford to continue the running of the museum.

A spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear this update. If the council terminates the lease and closes their museum, we will have to look for alternative viable options for the use of the property that will help safeguard its future.

"In this difficult economic climate, our charity is facing the same financial challenges with the day-in day-out task of looking after and keeping open our 2,000 miles of waterways, including the hundreds of centuries-old locks, bridges, tunnels and aqueducts here in Yorkshire.

"Unfortunately, we do not have the funding to take on the council’s running of the Thwaite Watermill museum.”

If the council goes ahead with plans to end the lease, it would mean that Leeds Museums and Galleries would no longer be responsible for management of the site from 2025.

The council said the move would save the authority between £660,000 and £756,000 over the next five years.

It was added that this proposal would be subject to consultation.

The lease on the site is currently due to end in 2030 – and visitor numbers are lower than might be hoped at just over 11,000 in 2022.

All of the council’s proposed measures, which include a 4.99% tax increase, are due to be discussed by senior councillors at an executive board meeting on December 13.