Ditchling Museum Staff To Be Made Redundant After Closure

John Lord, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Staff at Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft have been made redundant after the attraction confirmed it will remain closed.

The museum, which first shut in February, will not reopen during 2026 due to what trustees describe as a “challenging economic context”, with closure now expected to extend into 2027.

In a statement, the board said: "The Board of Trustees have been undertaking emergency fundraising to stabilise the financial situation and prevent permanent closure.

"Grants have been received to safely close the museum and ensure the collection and building are secure, and to cover all creditor costs.

"With the closure likely to extend into 2027, an independent HR process has been undertaken and we have extended our thanks to all the staff who have sadly been made redundant, and to all volunteers for their work."

Trustees say the museum, which operates as an independent charity without public funding, is now undergoing a full review of its financial model.

Chair Jo Myles said: "Museums and cultural organisations across the country are facing increasing pressure as public funding reduces, costs rise and demand on generous donors increases."

She added that closing the museum now could help create a more sustainable future.