MP Welcomes Museum Progress

Tim Farron MP has welcomed the news that the Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories has taken a step closer to opening, with work due to start on the museum site later this month.

Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories will replace the Windermere Steamboat Museum, and will house a nationally significant boat collection. The new Museum will include displays of steam launches, motorboats, yachts and other vessels and tell the stories of their construction, owners and use on Windermere. There will also be a conservation workshop, where visitors can watch boat builders and apprentices work on the collection, as well as a café with views of Windermere.

Cumbria-based Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Limited have been appointed as the main contractor for the project, and will start work on the new museum site this month. The project is due to open to the public in 2017, ready for the Lake District's summer season.

Lakeland Arts has raised £16.5m towards the final project costs of £16.7m. Significant support has been received from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£12.5m) and the Regional Growth Fund (£1.75m) as well as many individual donors, trusts and foundations.

Tim said: "I am delighted that a contractor has been appointed and that work will start on the new Windermere Jetty, Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories. I've supported this project for a long time and I am pleased to see it progress.

The museum will bring to life the stories behind Windermere's history of boat-making, as well as showcasing the fantastic collection of historic boats, and will be a welcome addition to the region's tourist attractions."