Another good news from This is Local London Website:
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FOREST HILL: Horniman Museum plays down fears of closure
2:10pm Wednesday 17th November 2010

Print Email Share Comments(0) By Nina Massey »

THE Horniman Museum has responded to internet rumours suggesting it faces closure in four years time.

Speculation has been rife on websites such as brockleycentral.blogspot.com and Twitter that as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Horniman has been listed as one of eight non-national museums to lose funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), forcing it to close.

Concerned blogger Oliver Lewis wrote on Twitter: “I used to love going to the Horniman as a kid. It’s a travesty that it is losing its funding.”

Meanwhile, nostalgic museum visitor Bridget Minamore, tweeted: “My family couldn't afford or get the time to take me to fancy central London museums. Horniman was a huge part of my childhood. Save the Horniman."

But a museum spokesman has now responded to the gossip saying: “We would like to thank everyone who has expressed concern, but would like to assure them that we will not be closing."

"There appears to be a lot of false speculation on the internet.

“Our funding is ring-fenced until 2015. We have been assured that we will not be cut loose then, and so there are no alarm bells ringing.”

An official statement from the museum in London Road, Forest Hill, added:“Discussions regarding the Horniman are at an early stage and no decisions have been taken.

“DCMS hopes to make an announcement by March next year as to any new sponsor."

A DCMS spokesman said:"We aim to identify alternative sponsors for these museums by April 2011.

"There is no question of cutting these museums adrift without any financial support in the unlikely event that no new sponsorship arrangements can be found."

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