As part of the initial support, the museum has been awarded  £73,000 development funding and consultancy assistance to help prepare the next phase of the £750,000 grant application.

A delighted Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, Chairman of the Museum Working Party, said "This is a tremendous vote of confidence in what we are trying to achieve in Burlington Street. All the past year's hard work has borne fruit."

If successful with the second stage of the grant application, some £850,000 will be injected into the Burlington Street facility - £100,000 of which will be provided by the town council. Building works including asbestos removal, new electrics and the installation of a lift, along with modern display cabinets and improved gallery, exhibition and meeting spaces will make this one of the region's significant museums. Parts of the collections, previously unseen, will be part of the new exhibitions.

A revamped museum will not only help improve the town and surrounding villages' sense of identity by encouraging curiosity and pride in our local heritage but will hopefully also become a tourist destination in its own right.

Cllr Crockford-Hawley thanked the many people who had given such enthusiastic assistance to this grant application including town council officers, museum staff, volunteers, Friends of the Museum, A1 camera club and heritage colleagues from Somerset County Council.

He concluded: "When this museum opened in the former Gas Company Workshops forty years ago, it was innovative but over recent years it's become tired. Though only acquired by the town council a couple of years ago, new working practices and a genuine cross-party positive approach, along with strong community support have now received the regional recognition we've been seeking. The HLF vote of confidence in what we are doing is a real boost to the heritage and arts morale of the Weston-super-Mare area."

Richard Bellamy, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “This is a great project which, if successful at the second round, will transform Weston-Super-Mare Museum for future visitors and let as many people as possible enjoy it’s amazing heritage collections. HLF is delighted to give its initial support to these project plans and we are looking forward to seeing them progress.”

Further information

Weston Town Council: Cllr Crockford-Hawley 01934 62911, email: bartjrch@aol.com.