County council defeats judicial review of decision to close museum

A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge to a county council’s decision to close a museum.

The claimant was a volunteer at the Snibston Discovery Museum in Coaville, Louise Hall, who brought legal action after the Cabinet at Leicestershire County Council took its decision on 14 January this year.

The Cabinet’s decision was part of efforts to save tens of millions of pounds overall by 2018.

Mr Justice Blake rejected the challenge at the Royal Courts of Justice. The judgment has yet to be published.

A spokesman for Leicestershire said: "The county council welcomes the judgment, which dismissed the Judicial Review on all grounds - ending the uncertainty for the public and staff.”

The ruling meant the closure took place on Friday (31 July).

The spokesman said the decision had been taken so that the council could “meet its savings target at a time of deepening financial pressure on the authority”.

He added: "The Century Theatre and country park will remain open and we will continue to maintain the scheduled colliery headstocks."

Around 1,000 people were expected to attend the museum’s final day.

Writing in the Leicester Mercury, Brian Vollar, chairman of the Frends of Snibston, said this was "not the end of the road for Snibston".

He said: "There is the Court of Appeal and the Friends of Snibston are resolved to continue to fight to save this invaluable museum all the way."