Margot calls for state of the art facilities for glass collection

Margot James attended a public meeting on the future of the Broadfield House glass collection organised by the Stourbridge and Brierley Hill Area Committees on July 23rd.

The meeting, attended by glass experts and other interested parties, questioned the terms of reference given by Dudley Council to LRC Consulting as follows:

• Why was consideration of a new location for the collection limited to the Red House Glass Cone?
• Given the opportunity of a new display space for the collection why should the new space only have to match the capacity of Broadfield House for the exhibiting of the collection (Broadfield House only exhibits some 20% of the collection).
• How could issues of congestion, parking and other capacity issues around the Red House Glass Cone, ever be resolved in order to be accessible enough to the greater visitor numbers envisaged by the consultation?

Margot James said “If the world renowned glass collection currently displayed and stored at Broadfield House is to be moved then it should be to a superior setting, capable of displaying more of the collection than is currently displayed at Broadfield House, and in state of the art exhibition space”. Margot will support a bid to raise money to fund the creation of such a space. The Stourbridge News last week reported on the determination of local glass collectors, businessmen and auctioneers to raise the necessary funds to create a state of the art exhibition space for the collection within the Glass Quarter.

Many friends of Broadfield House spoke including the Chairman, Barbara Beadman who inspired the meeting with her vision for the collection, John Sanders and Meriel Harris. Most speakers were very concerned that the Red House Glass Cone was not a suitable destination, without significant expenditure on a new building, and even then accessibility up the A491 would remain an issue.

Ms Harris suggested consideration be given to the empty Woolworths store in the centre of Stourbridge. A large amount of space, available and with none of the accessibility issues of the Red House Glass Cone, it should be considered if the consultants concluded that the Red House Glass Cone was not a suitable destination.

Margot James was encouraged by the open mindedness of so many Councillors who spoke at the meeting. Cllr. Knowles argued that if the terms of the brief to LRC were too narrow they should be expanded, Cllr. Walker took the view that the glass collection was the most important feature of Stourbridge’s heritage and ought to be preserved and displayed only in a world class setting. Cllr. Kettle said that of the 20,000 or so pieces of glass in the collection only about 10% was displayed at any one time and that we had failed in our duty of care towards this most important part of our heritage.

Margot agreed with the councillors who spoke, whilst agreeing with Cllr. Kettle she felt there should be an acknowledgement of the staff at Broadfield House, particularly Roger Dodsworth and his team, and the Friends who had preserved the collection and cared for it with passion and pride for many years.

The meeting was relieved to hear from Deputy Leader of Dudley Council, Cllr. Jones that the Red House Cone was ‘a starting point’ and that should it be deemed unsuitable by the consultation alternative locations could be considered. If in the current economic circumstances no suitable space could be found, said Cllr. Jones, Broadfield House would not be closed.