Following this years reset period, please find a summary of Q&A;
Will the Metro open this year? When it does open, do we expect to see an uplift on visitor attendance?
It was announced on 22 January that the Dudley extension will open for passengers at the end of August this year. It will certainly have a positive impact for our visitors, for our events and for our corporate hospitality bookings.
What was the outcome of the dog day trials? Will they be continuing?
We’re continuing with the dog day trials until February half-term, which will give us more data on how they’ve been received. A review meeting took place at the end of January.
Are we still reaching for 500k visitor attendance? Is that a target we must reach in order to allow things to happen at the Museum?
500k visitors is a reasonable figure to aim for, and more attendance means more income and therefore investment. It’s also important to track revenue growth independent of attendance, as the Museum has followed and indeed outperformed a wider trend of increased spend in ‘Enterprises’, helping us grow and invest while visitation remains challenged. Higher attendance and income will also help us apply for funding for specific projects, especially to demonstrate how the Museum is investing in itself.
Is there any news on the Dudley bus exchange development?
We’re not as close to this development as perhaps we could be. Hopefully an improved service and better-quality buses will have an impact for our visitors. We will reach out to the bus providers to discuss how we can work more closely with them.
Could we offer a discounted ticket price for those visitors using the Metro or bus?
Yes, this is on our mind. We also have strong links with the West Midlands Mayor and are discussing with him the potential for a tourism levy, which may fund free transport, as is the case in some European cities.
Is there any update on the Museums trams?
Work is needed on the overhead cables and of course the tracks. There is a lot to do to get our trams running again and we’ll need funding. It is still our ambition and there are funds out there that would help.
Updates on previous questions:
- We submitted an application to Arts Council England’s MEND fund (Museum Estate & Development), which seeks to repair five roofs across site, including the Trap Shop. The outcome of this application is expected in March 2026.
- Woodside Library’s re-build is ongoing and is expected to open in March.
- We will relaunch the Environmental Working Group (previously known as the Green Group) in Q1 of this year.
