Move of Walsall Leather Museum labelled 'downgrade' as petition launched

Walsall Council has proposed to move the Leather Museum from its home on Littleton Street West to another, unconfirmed, town centre location.

The plans were announced within Walsall Council’s budget proposals back in October. It was heard moving the museum from its current home in a genuine Victorian factory building would save the authority £190,000 in its 2025/26 budget.

Walsall Council proposes to relocate the museum to a more accessible and higher profile location within the town centre. The future of the current building remains commercially sensitive with the council only revealing that ‘there are options available’.

Labour MP for Walsall and Bloxwich Valerie Vaz has backed the petition, criticising the council for ‘downgrading’ the museum.

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She said: “I and my constituents are alarmed at the proposed relocation and closure at the current site of the Leather Museum.

“The Leather Museum showcases the rich history of Walsall and it is vital that this cultural heritage is maintained at this site. Walsall has a proud legacy of the leather industry with new saddlers being trained at the Walsall Leather Skills Centre.

“The Leather Museum is listed as Walsall’s number one attraction on Trip Advisor. It is astonishing that the Council are considering downgrading this community asset which has a creative hub and a café for people to gather.

“This is yet another example of the Conservative-controlled Council forcing through plans without respect for the heritage, history of the borough and local people’s wishes.”

Valerie Vaz has written to the council’s chief executive, Emma Bennett, the chief executive of Walsall College, Jatinder Sharma, and the government minister for creative industries, Chris Bryant MP.

To view the petition, click here. To view Walsall Council’s budget proposals, click here.