A campaign is under way to save the UK's only national brewery museum following Coors Brewers' announcement that it will close the Coors Visitor Centre in Burton-on-Trent next month.
The centre opened as the Bass Museum in 1977, but changed its name when Bass sold its breweries to Coors in 2002. The US brewer has said it cannot sustain the centre's annual £1m running costs.
Keith Donald, business services director at Coors, said: "We have tried everything to make the visitor centre viable, including a revamp last year and free entry to Burton residents. But visitor numbers have continued to fall and the subsidy needed has risen."
The centre received 46,000 visitors in the last financial year, compared with more than 100,000 10 years ago. Although the Museum of Brewing will close, the White Shield micro brewery will remain open.
Burton MP Janet Dean is spearheading a rescue bid. At a recent meeting the campaign working party discussed hiring an organisation to conduct an "options appraisal" for the centre.
One option is for the centre to gain charitable status, enabling it to access funding from sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Jon Finch, chief executive of Museums, Libraries and Archives West Midlands, who attended the meeting, said: "The visitor centre is a key part of Burton's cultural infrastructure and every effort needs to be made to seek a future for it. The MLA will assume a brokerage and facilitating role."
Coors owns the buildings, but not the collection. The company said it would give curatorial support until at least the end of the year.
Coors has also pledged to lease the building for a minimal charge to any organisation willing to run the museum, and will pay £100,000 annually towards the site's upkeep.
The centre opened as the Bass Museum in 1977, but changed its name when Bass sold its breweries to Coors in 2002. The US brewer has said it cannot sustain the centre's annual £1m running costs.
Keith Donald, business services director at Coors, said: "We have tried everything to make the visitor centre viable, including a revamp last year and free entry to Burton residents. But visitor numbers have continued to fall and the subsidy needed has risen."
The centre received 46,000 visitors in the last financial year, compared with more than 100,000 10 years ago. Although the Museum of Brewing will close, the White Shield micro brewery will remain open.
Burton MP Janet Dean is spearheading a rescue bid. At a recent meeting the campaign working party discussed hiring an organisation to conduct an "options appraisal" for the centre.
One option is for the centre to gain charitable status, enabling it to access funding from sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Jon Finch, chief executive of Museums, Libraries and Archives West Midlands, who attended the meeting, said: "The visitor centre is a key part of Burton's cultural infrastructure and every effort needs to be made to seek a future for it. The MLA will assume a brokerage and facilitating role."
Coors owns the buildings, but not the collection. The company said it would give curatorial support until at least the end of the year.
Coors has also pledged to lease the building for a minimal charge to any organisation willing to run the museum, and will pay £100,000 annually towards the site's upkeep.
