Museum of mining needs new cash seam

Published on Tuesday 6 February 2007 00:08

SCOTLAND'S national mining museum is under threat, because part of the ageing colliery in which it is based is in danger of collapsing.

The Scottish Mining Museum in Midlothian needs up to 2.5 million to shore up some of its buildings to ensure they do not become a safety risk.

The museum, the only one of its kind in Scotland, is based at the 115-year-old former Lady Victoria Colliery at Newtongrange.

A report by architects LDN has warned the board of trustees that without investment the museum will "almost inevitably close" within ten years.

It is hoped that funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other sources can be found to secure its future.

The Scottish Mining Museum has a five-star excellence award from VisitScotland and receives about 40,000 visitors every year.

A similar cash crisis in 2000 was averted when the Scottish Executive pledged 600,000 to save the museum from closure.

Plans are being drawn up to try to find the 2.5 million needed, plus a further 1 million for improvements.

It is hoped that improving the facilities and marketing of the museum, which was established in 1984, will help to attract more visitors.

Fergus Waters, the director of the museum, said: "Coal mines weren't built to last forever, so we need to stabilise these buildings."