The Museum was pleased to welcome Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday 24 February as part of English Tourism Week 2023.
English Tourism Week, led by VisitEngland, celebrates the contribution of tourism to the UK economy and shines a spotlight on organisations, like the Museum, that offer great experiences for visitors.
The Prime Minister, who hadn’t previously visited the Museum before, had an exclusive first look at the next phase of our new development, met colleagues from across the Museum, went behind the counter at Hobbs, and hosted local councillors in the Elephant & Castle.
Speaking after the Prime Minister’s visit, Andrew Lovett (Chief Executive) said:
“We were very pleased to welcome the Prime Minister to the Museum. The choice of BCLM was championed by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands. It coincided with English Tourism Week and provided an opportunity to highlight our latest developments and some of the Costumed Characters associated with the new storylines, some of whom the PM was delighted to meet.
“It also showed that public-sector investment in the Museum, including from the Culture Recovery Fund, to get us through Covid, was sound. I was pleased to let the PM know how strongly we were bouncing back after Covid.
“On behalf of the Museum, I want to thank everyone who was directly involved with the visit, in the planning and during, and to all staff who make the Museum successful and therefore, readily attractive to such high profile visitors.”
Andrew received a personal message from our local MP, Marco Longhi, who said that the team at the Museum makes him feel proud to be the MP of the area. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, also shared that “The Museum team were brilliant”.
After his visit the Prime Minister said:
“It was wonderful to visit the award-winning Black Country Living Museum today. I met some brilliant people and managed to experience the delicious chippy.
“The Museum received a government grant of £2.56 million through the Culture Recovery Fund and it’s great to see it thriving so they can continue to employ uniquely skilled staff in the West Midlands.
“It’s so important to invest in places that define culture in all corners of the country, providing jobs and supporting the wider community. My focus is on growing the economy and places like Black Country Living Museum in Dudley will help do exactly that.”
Photographs from the visit:
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