Lottery cash setback for proposed Rayleigh Town Museum

Mike Davies, Rayleigh citizen of the year and town historian, has secured use of a Grade II listed building in Rayleigh High Street for his museum, but needs funding for the project.

He had applied for £80,000 to £100,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help buy display cabinets and cover other costs, but his bid was unsuccessful.

Mr Davies said: “We are obviously deeply disappointed the fund did not feel able to support our bid at this time.

“We have been advised that, while they recognised the merit of our application, in a highly competitive round of bids we were on this occasion unsuccessful.

“The fund has encouraged us to reapply and we will soon be holding a detailed debriefing meeting with them, and others, before resubmitting our application in January 2015.

“We remain confident our aspirations will ultimately be successful and this is just a temporary setback.”

The proposed site for the museum is the first floor of 91 High Street, the oldest secular building in the town.

The ground floor of the building is currently Yours Clothing, but it is expected to be converted into a Pizza Express next year.

A planning application to turn the top floor into the museum and change the bottom floor from retail to restaurant was approved by Rochford District Council in August and Mr Davies is confident his plan will still be realised.

He said: “We still have the support of the town council, our MP, Mark Francois, has said he will write to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the plans have been approved so this is just a minor speedbump.

“Once we reapply in January, we should hear a decision in eight weeks, so if we get the money it shouldn’t be much of a delay.

“Having spoken to the owner, I know Pizza Express has no definite plans for an opening date, but it would be good to have funding in place by the time they have builders in so we can sort out a disabled access lift to the first floor.”