Alarm amongst supporters of Walsall Leather Museum as proposal for relocation heard by council cabinet

The Walsall Leather Museum on Littleton Street West could be set to move to a new, as-yet unconfirmed, location in the town centre under cost-cutting measure proposals in the Walsall Council budget.

When the cost-cutting measures were announced by council leader Councillor Garry Perry and his deputy Councillor Mark Statham in October for the draft budget for the 2025/26 financial year, Councillor Perry said the Walsall Leather Museum was set to move from its present location in Littleton Street to a new base in the centre of town, saving the council about £190,000 a year.

Walsall Council said it proposes to relocate the museum to a more accessible and higher profile location within the town centre, while the future of the current building remains commercially sensitive with the council only revealing that ‘there are options available’.

It could mean another big change for the industry, whose origins in Walsall start in the Middle Ages, where the loriners, or saddler' ironmongers, were in great demand due to the high grade iron, charcoal and limestone available in the area for the manufacturing of leather goods.

The lorinery trade continued to grow in the 17th and 18th centuries as many of the town's leather goods trade pioneers were bridle cutters and by settling in Walsall, they could call upon the skills of local loriners for their bits and buckles. 

In the early 19th century, leatherworking became an important local trade and after 1840, the development of the town's leatherworking industry gained pace, while the arrival of the South Staffordshire Railway to Walsall in 1847 gave a boost to the trade and by 1851 there were 75 firms making bridles, saddles and harness. 

At the turn of the 20th century, Walsall was home to nearly a third of Britain's saddlers and harness makers and the town remains best known for making saddlery and harness.

While the demand for saddlery and harnesses declined over time, the light leathergoods trade has continued on, with Walsall's surviving leathergoods firms having concentrated on the luxury end of the market. 

Some of the goods for the world's most famous brand names are made in Walsall, with the late Queen Elizabeth II and the Princess Royal among those owning a leather handbag made in Walsall, and there were around 90 leather companies in the town at the start of the century.

The proposed relocation of the Leather Museum has been met with criticism by leading members of the community, with  Labour MP for Walsall and Bloxwich Valerie Vaz criticising the council for ‘downgrading’ the museum. 

She said: “I and my constituents are alarmed at the proposed relocation and closure at the current site of the Leather Museum, so I have written to the Minister of State for Creative Industries, Arts, and Tourism, Rt Hon Chris Bryant MP, the Chief Executive of Walsall Council and the Chief Executive of Walsall College.

"There is a live petition which I have signed and to date has 1,344 signatures from those who live and work in Walsall.

“The Leather Museum showcases the rich history of Walsall and it is vital that this cultural heritage is maintained at this site. 

"Walsall has a proud legacy of the leather industry. Saddlers new to the industry are being trained at Walsall Leather Skills Centre.”

“The Leather Museum is listed as Walsall’s number one attraction on Trip Advisor. It is astonishing that the Council are considering downgrading this community asset which has a creative hub and a café for people to gather.”

 “This is yet another example of the Conservative-controlled Council forcing through plans without respect for the heritage, history of the borough and local people’s wishes.”

A petition has been launched by supporters of the museum to ask for the public to voice their support for the museum, which it described as the last heritage asset that the town possessed.

To find out more and to sign the petition, go to change.org/p/halt-the-proposed-sale-and-closure-of-walsall-leather-museum

Walsall Council have been contacted for a comment.