This
appeal has been launched to raise funding for the purchase of
the House of Correction in Marygate, Ripon to preserve the
building and to expand the display area of the existing Prison
and Police Museum into this adjacent building.
The project will cost £650,000. The Trust needs to raise £200,000
(which will include an endowment) if the rest is to come from
The National Lottery.
The £200,000 that the Trust needs to raise may include
work done in kind. However, it would not be possible to provide
the whole sum in kind as capital expenditure is required to
purchase the House of Correction and an endowment fund must be
set up for the future development costs, and to cover a trading
deficit in the first two years.
Harrogate Borough Council and the Ripon Museum Trust
commissioned Rob Shoreland-Ball, Museum consultant of York, to
report on the viability of the proposed scheme. His report of
May 1996 encourages the Trust's belief in the plan to extend the
Prison and Police Museum through the purchase of the House of
Correction.
The Trust is confident that the House of Correction Project is
viable. The Shoreland-Ball appraisal projected annual visitor
numbers to be in the order of 20,000 after 5 years of promotion
and marketing with a visit length of up to 2.5 hours. This would
be of great benefit to the City of Ripon which, apart from the
Cathedral, has relatively few other tourist attractions.
With its current regeneration plans, it is striving to achieve
its rightful place as a successful and prosperous city.
To build up the revenue, for two years an Education Officer
will be employed. However, management by the Honorary Curator
and the support of volunteers will continue throughout.
A lottery application will shortly be made.
The Trust is now seeking the help of funding partners to
contribute to the raising of the initial £200,000. |
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