Britain’s second oldest museum, based here in Spalding, has had its hopes for a multi-million pound expansion receive a boost.
The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society is having its Broad Street home repaired and is looking to expand by developing the nearby business centre.
It’s been given £594,738 funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to prepare a £4.3m bid for the project it has called ‘New Beginnings’.
It’s also received £20,000 from the Spalding Town Board to help transform the building built in the 1920s as a car showroom for Leverton’s.
“Repurposing the Leverton building to become an extension of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Museum will enable the Society to provide Spalding and the region with an accessible, fully open, topflight museum and heritage research and education facility for all,” a spokesman for the society said.
Its chairman Petronella Keeling added: “We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Thanks to National Lottery players we can now develop our plans to build the museum extension and bring a wonderful heritage and cultural facility to Spalding, South Holland and the wider region.”
The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society was founded in 1710 by Maurice Johnson of Ayscoughfee Hall.
It’s back in the building while repairs are taking place to its usual home and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm.
