Newark Town Hall Museum reopening date revealed

The Newark Town Hall Museum is due to re-open to visitors from Wednesday of next week.

New opening times are from 10.30am to 1pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10.30am to 3.30pm on Saturdays, the town council has announced.

The museum, in the upstairs of the town hall, has been closed during the pandemic and for a review of its relevancy to take place.

The move comes as dramatic plans for the future of the iconic town hall and Buttermarket are investigated that could see it become a big museum.

The town hall is a Grade I listed building designed by John Carr of York, and built between 1774-76. Since 1999, museum displays have been housed in the working town hall.

The town council is exploring the potential for the town hall to link to Newark Castle and National Civil War Centre.

All three attractions would be available as a singularly curated, advertised and ticketed offer.

There has been little change in the layout of the museum or the exhibits on display in at least a decade.

Consultants will be hired to consider proposals and costs.

The current museum is free and changing that, in the view of the council, would be hard to justify at present.

Structural works to non- listed areas of the Butter-market were agreed in principle.

The barrel roofs either side of the Buttermarket colonnade would be removed creating outdoor spaces with the council offices and reception moving to the vacant district council office on the ground floor, freeing-up extra space for a museum.