Abbey House Museum: Staff 'distraught' as Leeds City Council announces potential closure amid budget cuts

It was announced on Tuesday afternoon that Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall faces closure as part of Leeds City Council’s 2025/26 budget proposals.

The council also announced plans for a near-five per cent council tax increase and the introduction of ‘pay as you feel’ admission charges at city centre museums and galleries.

The plans, it says, are needed as part of essential savings of nearly £106.4 million as the cost of supporting social care demand and other pressures continues to increase.

Abbey House Museum is an interactive museum situated in the gatehouse of Kirkstall Abbey that offers a glimpse into Victorian life.

Staff and visitors to the museum shared their upset about the news with the YEP, with one member of staff saying that they found out on Tuesday afternoon through the council’s announcement.

They said: “Everyone’s distraught. It’s still raw.”

They added that there has been “a lot of support” from visitors and residents since the announcement, adding: “There’s a lot of speculation at the minute. We are just encouraging everyone to engage with the public consultation once it is launched.”

The council has said that the closure of the museum would save £160,000 in the next financial year and a six-week consultation is set to launch on December 12.

The museum is a favourite for school trips and upon our visit there was a group from Morley Newlands Academy, who had taken the children as part of their studies on Victorian times.

Alannah Tinker, one of the teachers, said that the school had been doing visits for years and that the students “love it”.

She said: “They get to make their own toys and learn how they’ve changed over time. And the old model streets are amazing. It’s a really great place to visit.”

She said that the news of the potential closure was “really upsetting” and it is “somewhere we enjoy coming”.

Also visiting on the day was Janet McDonald, who had travelled from Lancashire specifically to take a look around.

She said: “It would be a shame if it closes. I think buildings like this should be preserved.”

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “As part of a series of wide-ranging proposals being explored across the authority to help us meet unprecedented budget challenges, Leeds City Council will be consulting on the potential closure of Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall.

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“We absolutely recognise that this will come as disappointing news to anyone who has visited the site over the years, but unfortunately these proposals are an unavoidable consequence of what has become an increasingly unsustainable financial situation.

“Since the Covid pandemic, visitor numbers at Abbey House have been steadily declining, with less than 40,000 visitors attending in 2023/24, and it is projected that visitors number will continue to fall by a further 20 percent over the next year.

“Closing Abbey House Museum to the public will save the Council £160,000 a year. Budget pressures, combined with rising costs make any investment in the site increasingly difficult.

“In light of this and the immense challenges facing the council, we have been given little choice but to look at the long term viability of the museum as a council-run visitor attraction.

“We would stress that no final decision has been taken and timescales on any potential closure would be decided following consultation with staff and stakeholders.

“The council does not take any decisions about visitor attractions lightly, and these proposals have been brought forward in an effort to help protect vital, front line services while also attempting to safeguard the most viable and sustainable future for all of our much loved museums and galleries.”