LT Museum changes in the wind?

[jimbo]

3.1 London Transport Museum (LTM) has been located in the historic, grade II listed flower market building in Covent Garden since 1980. Its location and iconic building are key contributors to success. Post coronavirus pandemic, demand has continued to grow. For the last two years LTM has been London’s third fastest recovering attraction in the post pandemic market.

3.2 However, footfall and income at LTM is now capped by space and capacity constraints. LTM is at capacity at peak times and queues stretch across the Piazza and venue hire is sold out across the year on term time Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

3.3 This paper considers potential future proposals for development of the Covent Garden site.

TfL Finance Committee papers for meeting on 13 March 2024, p. 261 of 302

All other information is concealed in the Exempt supplementary information pages. This is only provided for noting by the Committee, so no decisions needed at this stage.

[tjw]

They should have moved it to Smithfield...  Plenty of room for Buses etc above and plenty of space for the railway exhibits below in the old sidings.  Oh and even better they would have a demonstration line to run trains, just like in New York.


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[Chris L]

20/20 hindsight there. Smithfield wasn't available in 1980. The vehicles were displayed in a very unsuitable converted potting shed in Syon Park and needed a permanent home.

BTW the historic vehicles need a temperature controlled environment. Sidings would never be suitable.



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[brigham]

Any guesses on the outcome?

[ted672]

Perhaps the time is right to consider a "brown-field" site outside the congestion zone and ULEZ. It would be great to have a London version of Beamish/East Anglian Transport Museum somewhere not too far away. The former owners of Ensignbus are looking for a new home for their collection of heritage buses, and there are various LU items that could be brought together in addition to the LTM items. Maybe I'm drifting into FRIPAS territory!

[jimbo]

Maybe para. 3.3 suggests another refurbishment like 2005-07 which made big changes. Especially since "Its location and iconic building are key contributors to success."

[Chris L]

There is no space to expand on the site. If anything the exhibits are packed in too tightly.

The Museum Depot at Acton also needs a new home as the current site is part of the parcel of land being sold for housing.


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