The new government is in place, stability has returned to the financial markets, and the political commentary has returned to normal. What a relief. Now we can talk about local matters again.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of going to the 10th anniversary celebrations at the Carpet Museum. This is a truly delightful tribute to the history of Kidderminster. With over 20,000 people employed in the industry at its peak, there are probably very few people who are native to the district who cannot claim an ancestor or relative who did not work in the production of carpets. Even the actor Hugh Grant can claim familial interest – his father used to be a manager at Gilt Edged Carpets back in the 1960s and 70s.
Of course, the industry was one to suffer badly as a result of the then Common Market. Cheap carpet imports from Belgium undercut the better quality, but more expensive UK produced carpets. Kidderminster has but a very small handful of active manufacturers left. Brintons, a significant manufacturer of high quality carpets – including some in the House of Commons - no longer has presence in the town.
This makes the carpet museum all the more important. With carpet manufacturing now an historical legacy, the only way that descendants of carpet workers can experience how their ancestors earned a living is through this unique facility. It covers everything from design, through office administration, through to weaving.
The museum, like all public facilities, suffered a drop in visitor numbers during lockdown. Government help supported it, as with most other businesses and charities, but since the return to normal, people’s habits have changed subtly. When people used to regularly visit museums and other attractions, they do so a little less now. This drop in numbers puts this and other attractions under a little more financial strain.
So my appeal is to ask everyone to support local attractions such as the carpet museum.
The carpet museum is unique – there is nothing like it anywhere else. But it is not just the carpet museum. We have the biggest heritage railway (and in my opinion, the best) in the country. We have an amazing safari park. We are incredibly lucky, but if we don’t use them, we lose them.
My kids have all been on school trips to the museum. I want to make sure generations of kids do so too, long into the future.