Museum’s Partnership With Archaeological Society Remains Uncertain

Published on: 4 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 31 Aug, 2016

SAS occupy rooms on the first floor (as viewed) of this side of Castle Arch House.

SAS occupy rooms on the first floor (as viewed), this side of Castle Arch House.

In the wake of the well received news that Guildford Museum has been awarded an Arts Council grant, the future of Guildford Museum’s partnership with the Surrey Archaeological Society (SAS) remains uncertain.

Cllr Nikki Nelson-Smith

Cllr Nikki Nelson-Smith (Con, Christchurch), lead councillor for heritage and the arts said today (Aug 4): “We continue to discuss arrangements with the SAS and hope that we can agree a way ahead that is in the best interests of all parties.”

It is over a year since Guildford Borough Council (GBC) controversially served the society with a notice to quit the museum’s premises in Quarry Street.

The “Section 25” notice, served under the Landlord & Tenant Act, which requires the SAS library to be moved, was due to expire in January. Subsequent extensions have been granted but it is understood that GBC does not intend to allow further delays and the society has comply by October 21.

It is still hoped that some sort of arrangement can be agreed that will allow the society, which has been located at Castle Arch since 1898, to retain a presence at the museum.

Cllr Geoff Davis

The notice was served under the direction of Cllr Geoff Davis (Con, Holy Trinity) then lead councillor for economic development, tourism and heritage who said last August (2015): “Of course, a properly run council cannot let a “holding over” tenant in their building operate on a basis where they are not structured to make basic decisions about their own well-being, so the only proper option was to refresh the formal Landlord and Tenant Act notice to quit, to gain control.”

In April this year (2016) a report from James Whiteman, GBC’s director of environment seemed optimistic. Proposals for the rear of the museum to be opened up to the popular Castle Grounds and for the council to invest £2.3 million were approved, subject to a feasibility report.

In the report it was said: “It is clear that to achieve the desired improvements to the museum, there will need to be a great deal of planning to ensure that we get this right. Incorporating the views of the public and partners will be vitally important…

“There is potential to deliver a really exciting and modern museum for Guildford.”

But the report also stated: “Discussions with the SAS are ongoing.”

The society, which owns the majority of the exhibits in the museum, have agreed to remove most, if not all, of its considerable library, used by many local historians. Their website states: “The Society has the best specialist archaeological library in the county, and holds a valuable archive of Surrey material…”

“From 9 September 2016 our library will move from Castle Arch to new premises at Abinger. It will be closed until January 3rd to allow time to organise the holdings in their new home.”

Within Guildford Borough Council chairmanship of the museum working group has now, after some delay, been transferred to Cllr Nelson-Smith from Cllr Davis.

Cllr Davis was relieved of his duties to oversee the museum and the Electric Theatre in May, in a post election reshuffle which saw Cllr Nelson-Smith promoted to the Executive and given the internal business systems, heritage and the arts portfolio. But both the theatre and the museum are council assets and Cllr Davis, as the lead councillor for asset management, still sits on both the museum and theatre working groups.

The Surrey Archaeological Society declined to comment.