A MUSEUM closed amid huge controversy two years ago is to reopen, the Lancashire Telegraph can reveal.

There was outrage when the Lewis Textile Museum in Blackburn was closed in April 2006 in a bid to save £23,000 a year.

Earlier this month the museum, on Exchange Street, reopened as a drugs rehab centre, offering addicts massages and beauty therapy as part of their treatment.

But now it has emerged that it will be a key part of a £20million revamp of Blackburn museum, which would be brought up to date with interactive technology.

This means the listed building will once again be used for the purpose it was gifted to Blackburn by one of its most famous sons, cotton magnate Thomas Boys Lewis, in 1934.

Tory councillor Mike Lee, who will take over as council leader in December, had spoken out against the closure by the previous Labour administration.

He said: “I felt at the time it was the wrong move to close it.

“But we have to make sure we have the right things to fill it. Times have moved on since it was closed and we don’t want to reopen it for the sake of it.

“However, it will be nice to have it back because that was the reason it was donated to the town in the first place.”

The council’s director of regeneration Adam Scott said works from London’s National Gallery and Victoria and Albert museum would feature in the expanded Blackburn museum.

He said: “We want to build on the fantastic collections we have already.

“This will become a major draw on the regional heritage circuit.”

The building, owned by Blackburn with Darwen council, was in poor condition when it was closed, and bosses say it has been saved by a revamp paid for by the Department of Health to prepare it for its current use.

Coun Lee added: “It was not a grand plan, it’s just the way it’s worked out.”

He said it was “vital” the drug treatment work started by the Evolve centre was able to continue somewhere else once the museum reopens.

Bosses are thought to be unwilling to take back the building before its lease expires - believed to be at least three years - because the move would incur financial “claw back” payments.

It is not yet known what exhibits it will display. A year ago the Lancashire Telegraph revealed plans for a multi-million pound lottery bid to extend the museum. And in January we reported just 20 per cent of the borough’s artefacts could be displayed at any one time because of a lack of storage space.

It is understood complications related to the ballooning cost of the London Olympics have meant the funding bid has to be split up into two, £10million, phases.

The news about the textile museum was welcomed by Blackburn Local History Society chairman Ray Smith, who said: “As a society we were upset when it closed.

“It’s an interesting building, and a drug centre could go anywhere. I am sure people will be very happy about this.”

And Richard Prest, of the town’s Civic Society, added: “As a society we would be absolutely delighted. Its current use is not very appropriate for a listed building.

“It’s part of the town’s history and it should be used as a museum.”

Labour leader Kate Hollern said: “I would love to see it happen, but I’m concerned it’s another pie in the sky idea that will cost taxpayers money and never see the light of day.”