THE letter from Mr Crook reiterates the old argument that money spent on culture would be better spent on helping the sick.
The £5m the council has pledged to the new museum will be an extremely good investment.
It has been proved in many other towns that regeneration with a cultural centre has increased revenue to those towns, plus created pride and among residents.
Giving Swindon an attractive cultural heart will make businesses want to be centred in the town (I know of firms who have chosen not to headquarter in Swindon due to the lack of cultural life) thereby increasing rents and business rates.
People will want to visit Swindon – nine million people live within two hours of the town – which will further benefit its economy.
The council owns a significant part of Swindon and will get a direct financial return from this increased prosperity.
The £5m investment will lever in at least another £15m, which will be spent in Swindon helping the local economy with many jobs during the building and full-time jobs after completion in the museum and around it in the revived area.
Incidentally, the trustees of the new trust formed to manage the project are all unpaid and have yet to spend a penny of public money.
The new museum will have visiting exhibitions to add to the proper display of the existing nationally important collection (which is largely unseen in the current museum), and the intention is to harness the Science Museum’s fine collection stored just outside Swindon and their expertise to have an innovative and inspirational mixture of art and science.
Far from a vanity project for the few to enjoy, it will be a community centre to educate and inspire the young and old, to be enjoyed by all the people of Swindon and make them truly proud of their town, and to bring visitors from all around.
A more prosperous Swindon can better care for those in need.
ROBERT HISCOX
Chairman
Swindon Museum & Art Gallery Trust