Plan announced to charge visitors to Wollaton Hall

A charge to visit Wollaton Hall and its Natural History Museum could be introduced.

As part of its budget proposals, Nottingham City Council is planning to set up a charitable development trust and exhibitions company to help the authority make savings and bring in more money to run its museums service.

Part of the changes will be a charge to visit the hall, which has not yet been set.

Plans discussed as part of the council's budget revealed entry to the wider Wollaton Park will remain free, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Wollaton Hall, built between 1580 and 1588, was added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register in 2023 due to extensive water damage.

Both the hall and Natural History Museum are currently free to enter.

Sam Lux, executive member for carbon reduction, leisure and culture at the city council, said the prices would be set in line with other councils as well as "organisations like the National Trust and English Heritage".

She added: "Fundamentally that charge will allow us to invest properly in the building.

"We know anecdotally from other authorities that if those kinds of really expensive beautiful buildings don't get the investment they need they often become dilapidated and are forced to close in the long run."

The plans will now go to a full council meeting in March for final approval.

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