Over 100 people rallied in Walsall against the planned relocation of the Walsall Leather Museum. A crowd gathered outside the Sister Dora statue in the town centre on 28 March before marching down to the site. This was the second main protest, with the last taking place 8 February 2025. This resulted in a delay to its relocation, now planned to be to a former drapers store closer to the high street.
The building is regarded as Walsall’s last museum, starting as a leather factory in 1891 before being renovated in 1988, having been granted the Royal Seal of Approval by Princess Anne. The government department, Historic England, awarded the site with a Grade II Listed status in early March 2026.
The listed status means that there are limits on what changes can be made. This has largely been ignored by Walsall Council, who have given permission to Walsall College to use the Littleton Street West building for its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provisions.
Council’s excuses for Walsall Leather Museum closure
Council Leader Mike Bird told the BBC: “It might be heritage to them, but at the end of the day it’s an old factory, simple as that.
“The people of Walsall certainly have made their views known, but at the end of the day, the petition that was presented… only 600 [signatories] were from Walsall.”
Cllr Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said in early March: “Relocating the museum to the town centre will boost footfall, improve access and visibility, and strengthen links with wider town-centre regeneration and key cultural assets.”
The relocation has also been backed by Director Patrick Burns of the Walsall Leather Skills Centre. He said: “The council’s investment in new premises for Walsall Leather Museum is very welcome.
“I fully support this move to what has to be a more accessible and visible resource, contributing moreover to the regeneration of the heart of Walsall.”
A year-long campaign by local activists
Campaign leader Lauren Broxton has been one of the main leaders of the campaign since January 2025. Over the past year, she and other activists have engaged in council meetings. At one point, campaigner Linda Boys was told by Cllr Mike Bird to “shut up”.
Broxton, when interviewed, said: “It’s just not been good enough. I mean we have participated in every bit of democratic process we were supposed to: scrutiny, pushing for consultation, petitions, engaging with executives.
“All the time it just feels like we’re being shut down and shut out.”
“I think it’s been a bit of a deadlock,” said street artist Neoliberal Lizard in an interview. “[Walsall Council] have been hoping it’s gonna go away. But fortunately, the campaign has continued positively.”
“There’s been some great television features, we’re raising the profile of the museum, so it’s looking quite positive. But in terms of actual movement, it’s been quite tricky.”
Michelle, one of the demonstrators, did courses at the Museum in the early 1990s. “This place means a lot to me,” she said in an interview. “My Auntie Carol worked in leather, and I think my Uncle Chris did as well. I wanna keep this place open for everybody, really.”
The campaign was backed by local Walsall politicians
The crowd was backed by local politicians, including councillors, council candidates and Valerie Vaz MP. Vaz, when interviewed, said she had attended “a number of meetings” with ministers such as Georgia Gould, Minister of State for School Standards and Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Local Government.
“They both listened,” Vaz said, “I’ve sent a five-page letter to Alison McGovern. Minister Gould said in the end she has to make a decision about what’s going to happen.”
She added that Walsall Council “don’t understand the strength of feeling that people have about this museum. This is not just for this generation; it’s for future generations. They need to know what built the town.
“If decisions are made and they don’t take into account what local people want, that’s what I think is very worrying about the direction Walsall Council are going in. They’re not listening to people.”
Cllr Ram K. Mehmi MBE also attended the protest. Regarding Walsall College’s proposed acquisition, he said: “We need our children to be educated, but if we want our children to be educated, there is a lot of space in the civic centre. They can easily put all their children in that college.”
Helen Neville, Walsall Green Party Elections Officer, told protesters: “We’ve had decisions made behind closed doors. We were told there would be a consultation and there wasn’t one. We were promised transparency, and we didn’t get it.”
The museum’s closure to the public took place on 11 April, marking the end of an era.
