Durham Light Infantry Museum reopening set to be funded by £125k City of Culture consolation cash

The reopening and revamping of a military museum in Durham is set to be funded by the county's City of Culture runners-up prize money.

Durham Light Infantry Museum, which told the story of the regiment since it began in 1750, closed in 2016 following years of financial difficulties and low footfall.

Plans were announced last year to reopen the building with a larger footprint and new facilities as part of the county's UK City of Culture bid.

Though the bid was unsuccessful, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries announced that for the first time in the competition's history, the unsuccessful finalists - County Durham, Southhampton and Wrexham - would receive a £125,000 consolation prize.

On Monday 13 June, three of the county's MPs "expressed their desire that this money will go towards reopening" of the venue in an open letter to the county council.

They include North West Durham's Richard Holden, Bishop Auckland's Dehenna Davison, and Sedgefield's Paul Howell.

Durham County Council responded by assuring the MPs that the funds would be used to deliver on the plans.

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, leader of Durham County Council, said the authority was committed to delivering on plans for a cultural programme within its City of Culture bid.

She added: "Together with the county’s existing festival and events calendar, the programme will focus on developing new events and key cultural attractions across the county and includes plans to bring the former Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery back into use as an exhibition centre, gallery and café.

"Work is already ongoing to develop the venue, which will be twice the size of the former building, enabling a dedicated space for the display of items from the DLI Collection and Archive and allowing the venue to host touring national and international exhibitions."

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