CONTROVERSIAL plans to close the Lewis Textile Museum look to have been shelved following an apparent U-turn by council leaders.

A package of cost cutting measures aimed at saving £4.3 million from council budgets had included the closure of the historic building.

The building was donated to the council by industrialist Thomas Lewis in 1936 for community use.

The plan was to close the building to the public and use it for council offices or sell it off on the open market.

And the scheme was approved at a community, leisure and cultural services committee on Wednesday night.

But the Labour group at Blackburn with Darwen Council have now announced that they are looking at a second option of closing the main door of the building.

People wanting to view the exhibition of textile machinery will be able to get to the building through the main Blackburn Museum building.

Town hall bosses have revealed the Lewis Textile will stay open until a final decision is made later this year.

The latest move follows criticism from members of the public on the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's phoneline and in today's letters page.

The phoneline attracted 118 calls attacking the council's proposals when the number was printed in Monday's paper - and calls were still coming in today, with 135 votes now registered against the plans.

Coun Eileen Entwistle, chairman of community, leisure and cultural services, said: "My committee has to make savings of more than £500,000 which means a number of difficult decisions have to be made.

"We have looked at the Lewis Textile Museum and we are considering two options."

She added: "The relocation option proposal has already received wide publicity. But we are also looking at a plan to retain the collection at the Lewis but with main access through the main museum and art gallery.

"This option would have the twin advantage of saving money and keeping the collection at the Lewis."

The final decision over the museum building will be taken by the full council.

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