Carillon tower museum to reopen while new lottery bid developed

Loughborough’s Carillon Tower museum will reopen in the spring while a new lottery bid is put together.

The Carillon Memorial Trust had applied for £80,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to improve the museum but it has been told the bid has been unsuccessful.

However, the trust, which has been supported by Charnwood Borough Council, is going to re-apply and is confident it can still secure funding.

The museum closed in 2018 while the Council carried out a £280,000 conservation project on the tower.

Mel Gould, chairman of the Loughborough Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum, said: “Of course we were disappointed not to be successful at the first attempt with our lottery application but we are still confident that, following advice from the Heritage Lottery, we can secure lottery funding for the project.

“While we put together a revised application, the museum will reopen with a selection of items from our collection. This is something we are looking forward to and we are sure visitors will enjoy seeing them.”

The museum wants to revamp its displays and make them more interactive, particularly for people who cannot access the top floor. That could involve the use of video displays. The overall aim is to improve the visitor experience for all and make the Carillon’s history and musical heritage accessible to as wide a range of audiences as possible.

Cllr Jenny Bokor, the Council’s lead member for Loughborough, said: “It will be great to see the museum open again for visitors. The tower is not only the town’s war memorial but also an important part of our heritage which people should be able to enjoy.

“We have held several open days but having the museum open again means people have a better chance to see inside the tower for the first time since the significant conservation project in 2018.

“I am also pleased the trust is going to submit a new bid and I wish them luck.”

The Loughborough Carillon is a grade two listed building and was built after the First World War to commemorate the men of Loughborough who gave their lives for their country. It carries the names of 800 men who died in both world wars and other conflicts. Construction was completed in 1923 and is 150ft high.

The 2018 conservation project included conservation work being carried out on windows, stonework, the copper roof and to the clavier.

It also included improving lighting around the tower’s 47 bells so it is easier for visitors to admire the craftmanship.

The museum will reopen during the Easter school holidays in April and be open every Thursday after that until the autumn.