COUNCIL leaders were today adamant that the future of the Lewis Textile Museum has still not been settled.

Fears about what will happen to the Blackburn town centre building increased after it was announced Blackburn Artists' Society will have to hold its annual exhibition at another venue after 40 years at the Lewis.

Staff from Blackburn with Darwen Council's main office block are due to move "temporarily" into the building over the next two months, and phone and computer lines are being laid in upstairs rooms.

But the staff are scheduled to move out again this June and the rooms will not be converted into offices.

A final decision on museum will be made in the summer.

A panel of leading councillors is being appointed and will carry out a spending review of the leisure and cultural services department.

The aim is to save about £500,000 and various measures are being considered.

Opponents to the possible closure point out it was donated to the town for community use in 1936 by industrialist Thomas Lewis.

Town hall bosses say people will still be able to get into the Lewis Textile building on request but will have to enter through the main museum and art gallery.

Most visitors will be part of pre-organised school trips.

A council spokesman said: "Staff will be moving into the building but only on a temporary basis and they will be moving out again in June.

"We are not converting any of the rooms into offices and a final decision has not been taken.

"We have just received a grant and around £11,000 will be spent on refurbishing the Lewis Textile display to make it more attractive."

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