Heritage centre to welcome back visitors

Wirksworth Heritage Centre is to reopen after a deal was struck to secure its long-term future.

The museum, which details the history of the Derbyshire town, closed in early 2025 due to financial difficulties.

But following talks over the past year, the centre will be brought back into use, with Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust taking over ownership of the building.

With the museum collection having been relocated to the nearby National Stone Centre, the venue will be used as a heritage-themed cafe, workspace and location for community events.

Wirksworth Heritage Centre was bequeathed the St John's Street building in 2010 and it was revamped using a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant secured in 2016.

The charity's chairwoman, Jacqueline Ferguson-Lee, said transferring ownership to the trust was "the best result not only for the premises but also for the museum collection and the heritage building, which are retained for the benefit of our wonderful community and visitors to Wirksworth".

Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust was established as a charity in 1974 and has been involved in the restoration of more than 100 buildings in the county since then.

It said work to prepare the building for reopening is expected to start later this year, with an operator for the cafe also being sought.

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