Exeter leaders have pledged nearly £1 million to cover urgent boiler repairs at the city's museum, hoping to prevent the attraction from closing.
The award-winning museum, home to the iconic Gerald the Giraffe, has been given a lifeline, writes local democracy reporter Guy Henderson.
City council members voted overwhelmingly to pledge £260,000 for urgent repairs at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM), where Gerald has been drawing crowds for more than 100 years. They were told the museum would have to close if its remaining boiler failed. The other boiler has already broken down.
The hope is that the council's match funding pledge will encourage Arts Council England to provide £2.4 million for the repairs.
Councillor Zoe Hughes (Independent, Pennsylvania) told colleagues: "The museum is the best thing we've got in Exeter, and 'flagship' is exactly the way to describe it. We've got one shot at this application and we have to take it. I don't see how we can leave this incredible resource unfunded. It is our duty as custodians of this city."
There are also hopes that the decking on the museum's Roman Wall Bridge could be replaced as part of the project. The bridge, which offers views of the city's ancient defences, has been closed for eight years because the decking deteriorated.
A report to the meeting said: "One boiler has already failed, and the remaining boiler and chilled water systems are operating within failure periods, creating a significant risk to the continued operation of the museum. Failure of either system could result in the closure of RAMM and place nationally significant collections at risk."
Councillors also voted to set aside an additional £665,000 to replace the remaining boiler and chilled water system if the funding bid fails, or if they break down before a decision is made.
Ian Collinson, the city council's strategic director for place, said the museum was 'running on one cylinder' and its systems could fail at any time. "It is a major attraction for our city and a major resource for our residents," he added.
Councillor Lucy Findlay (Labour, Alphington) said the RAMM was part of Exeter's identity and added: "Protecting our heritage should not be regarded as an optional extra, but a core responsibility."
Some questioned whether a replacement boiler would align with the council's drive towards zero carbon emissions, but members were urged to be 'pragmatic' about the urgent repair.
The RAMM, on Queen Street, first opened in 1869 and has 16 galleries covering zoology, anthropology, fine art, local and world archaeology, and geology.
Gerald the Giraffe, five metres high, has been at the museum since 1920. He was shot by a big game hunter near Mount Kilimanjaro in 1901, then skinned, dried and cured on the spot. He was taken in pieces by train to Mombasa and then by ship to London, where he was reassembled and stuffed. He was originally called George as a tribute to King George V, but a former museum director who was not fond of the Royal Family renamed him.
Exeter Leaders Pledge Nearly £1m for Museum Boiler Repairs