Ironbridge Gorge Museums set for National Trust takeover

Shropshire Star

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00:00What does the grant mean for Ironbridge?

00:02Well it's a hugely significant moment because as well as the £9 million grant

00:07there's also a new partnership that we've been able to announce today with the National Trust.

00:12It will mean firstly that Ironbridge is protected for future generations

00:16so that those of us who grew up coming here as kids

00:19can be confident that we can bring our children and grandchildren here in the future.

00:24But through the partnership with the National Trust

00:26we want to finally realise the big ambition and vision that the Trust here has had for Ironbridge.

00:33More visitors flocking here not just from across the UK but from all over the world

00:39and making sure that we put Ironbridge and Shropshire back on the map

00:43as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution

00:45and the place where ordinary men and women through hard work, creativity and ingenuity

00:52help to not just lead power but light up the world and change the world that we live in today.

01:03Hi Minister.

01:05The people that work and volunteer here, how will this change affect them?

01:11I'm at a particular point of thanking the volunteers here and National Trust volunteers as well

01:18up and down the length and breadth of the country

01:20because as I know, as somebody who brings my family to

01:25I brought previously to Ironbridge and to many National Trust properties as well

01:31it's the volunteers that genuinely make it a joy to visit.

01:35They're the reason that many of our heritage sites have been able to continue to operate

01:39not just during the pandemic but since with all of the challenges that they've had.

01:45The National Trust will of course be working very carefully with the local community

01:49and with the existing volunteers to make sure that we protect and preserve that magic.

01:54They will have to make difficult decisions about how to make sure that this site

01:59not just survives but goes on to thrive for generations to come.

02:04But I was left in no doubt from the conversations that I've had with them

02:10that they hugely value the staff and volunteers here

02:12and understand the significance of what they and the local community contribute to Ironbridge.

02:19It's not just a global heritage site, it's not just known all over the world

02:23it's also something that is treasured by people here

02:26and it's their passion and commitment that helps to preserve and protect it.

02:30Why now then has this grant been introduced?

02:36One of the first things that came across my desk in 2024 when we were first elected was Ironbridge.

02:44It's been struggling like every heritage site in the country with visitor numbers post-pandemic

02:51but it also takes a lot of funding to be able to continue to invest

02:56and to protect the condition of this incredibly important historic site.

03:02Sean Davies, the local MP, has been battering down the doors of every government minister who will listen

03:07to make sure that we grip this with a level of urgency

03:11and it was urgent.

03:13If we hadn't intervened and formed this partnership with the National Trust

03:17I think it's fair to say that people who grew up coming here as children

03:21would not be bringing their children and grandchildren here in future years.

03:26So we were determined that we were going to step up and support this

03:29and to back that with a financial down payment of £9 million

03:34to demonstrate our commitment, not just to Ironbridge

03:39which is one of the most important sites in the country

03:41but to our industrial heritage

03:43because the history of this country is not just the history of kings and queens and stately homes

03:49it's the story of the most extraordinary people

03:53the length and breadth of Britain

03:54people's parents and grandparents

03:56ordinary people who powered this country

03:59built our wealth and influence and shaped who we are today.

04:03Ironbridge is the first of these heritage projects that we plan to announce

04:07but it certainly isn't going to be the last.

04:09So we're here with Paul Foucass

04:11Regional Director for the National Trust in Midlands and the East of England

04:14is that correct?

04:15That's right, yeah.

04:16It's a big day for the Ironbridge Museums

04:19National Trust denouncing it's going to be taking over effectively

04:22and that's from March next year?

04:24That's right, yeah.

04:25Just firstly, how excited is the National Trust about this?

04:29Incredibly excited

04:30so this is probably one of the largest things we've ever done

04:32in our 130 year history

04:34and we're an organisation that's passionate about looking after special places

04:38and this is probably one of the most significant places in the history of the UK

04:43in terms of the Industrial Revolution

04:45but we're also passionate about sharing it with people

04:47so it's already a much loved place

04:49with hundreds of thousands of people coming every year

04:52and we want to build on that

04:54and build on the legacy of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums

04:56and the National Trust have done a fantastic job.

04:58In terms of what do you think the National Trust can bring to the museums

05:02and the area itself?

05:04I think the sort of crucial thing is that we're a large organisation

05:08so I think firstly we've got five and a half million members

05:10I know many of those will be really interested to sort of know

05:14that we're taking this on and will want to visit

05:15I think in addition to that being a large organisation

05:19we've got lots of expertise around how you curate things

05:22in terms of the history of different objects

05:23about how you provide a brilliant experience for people coming

05:26so I think we sort of bring those elements to it

05:29and bring a kind of stability and sustainability to it

05:32but I would kind of emphasise again

05:34that the Ironbridge Gorge Museums have done a fantastic job

05:37and I think from my perspective

05:39we are just custodians being handed over to

05:43and we will hold their baby very kind of carefully

05:46in terms of doing what we do next.

05:49And obviously if you're a member of the National Trust

05:50I guess from March you will be able to come to all the sites

05:52as you do to any of the venues?

05:54That's right, yes.

05:56What kind of changes will people see?

05:58Are there noticeable things that will make a difference to their visits

06:01or the way they interact with the museums?

06:03Not initially.

06:04So I mean obviously we're going to sort of look at how we sort of sign it

06:07and make it clear that it's a National Trust property

06:11but as I say going, what I was saying before

06:13the Ironbridge Gorge Museums do a fantastic job

06:15so I think the continuation of what they've already done will be important

06:19but as with any museum or any sort of visitor attraction

06:22you have to constantly sort of invest in it and improve it

06:26so we will be going through some of the properties

06:29and sort of improving the interpretation

06:30thinking about how we sort of attract sort of new people

06:33particularly children and young people to those places

06:35and as I say, museums evolve all the time

06:38and they need to sort of evolve in order to be relevant to people

06:41because people stay to change.

06:44See, it's a huge deal for the Ironbridge Museums

06:47being added to an organisation the size of the National Trust

06:49and with its standing

06:50but I guess it's also a big deal for the National Trust

06:54because this is such a key place, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution

06:57and I guess it's quite a coup for the National Trust

06:59to be coming in and responsible for that.

07:01Oh, we're incredibly flattered that the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust

07:05approached us to do this

07:07and because we are an organisation that wants to tell the history of the nation

07:12clearly the Industrial Revolution is a kind of pivotal moment

07:16so the opportunity to do that is really important

07:21but, you know, although we are a big organisation

07:23this is not a small undertaking to take this on

07:26by any stretch of the imagination

07:28but the other thing that's great is

07:30I think we're very well known for our country mansions

07:33and that's kind of what we're famous for

07:35but we're really keen to be telling the full history of the country

07:39you know, the kind of ordinary people

07:41that did kind of really solid work

07:43and I think this will give us that opportunity to do so.

07:46Yeah, and have you had a look around many of the attractions yourself before?

07:50We have, yeah

07:50so we've been going through a process called due diligence

07:54where, you know, we've obviously been sort of assessing what it would take for the National Trust to take it on

07:59so we understand all of the sort of properties really well

08:02and I've been around several times

08:03and my colleagues have been working on that, been around many times

08:06so, yeah, we know them pretty well

08:09we don't know them fully well in the same way that the current people that work here do

08:13but, yeah, we are, yeah, we know them pretty well.

08:17Obviously, you mentioned before it adds to, you know, the structure portfolio is maybe smaller than some other areas

08:21but you've got Attingham's hugely popular venue, you've got Sunnycroft, you've got Dubmeston

08:25I think, just, is it good to be expanding the offer within Shropshire as well?

08:30So, for Shropshire residents, not just tourists from a wider area?

08:33Yeah, absolutely, yeah

08:34I think this is going to be really brilliant

08:36and I think from our perspective

08:38although something like this is going to be a tourist attraction

08:41because there's a one-off

08:43whereas, you know, Attingham is one-off

08:44many country houses you can visit around the country

08:47this is a one-off

08:48it's as important to us that the people who live in the locality

08:52in Telford, in Shropshire itself

08:55really feel that this is their place and they kind of connect to that

08:58so that is going to be really important to us

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