A massive fundraising appeal has been launched to help a top north-east museum facing an uncertain future.
The Gordon Highlanders Museum, one of Aberdeen’s most popular attractions, needs to raise £300,000 over the next three years to ensure it can continue telling the stories of those who fought in the regiment.
The five-star attraction chronicles the 200-year history of the regiment from the Napoleonic War through to World War I and II and the Cold War.
Visitors can wander through the five rooms showcasing all sorts of exhibits – including weapons, soldiers’ belongings, medals, films and interactive displays.
But although the collections continue to grow and visitor numbers are up, profits have fallen by 80% over the last three years due to the oil and gas downturn, with less businesses hosting events at the venue.
Now bosses are hoping supporters can help raise £100,000 a year until 2020, by donating £10 a month.
The appeal will be officially launched on Monday, but last night the museum’s chief executive Bryan Snelling urged people to act now to continue its “tremendous” success of the last 20 years.
He said: “Our main source of income has always been from the services that we supply to Aberdeen companies through conferences, training days and dinners.
“This has collapsed in line with the collapse in the oil price. In three years, our income here has reduced by almost 60% and our profits by nearly 80%.
“For 2016 we had expected this income to at least remain static and not deteriorate further.
“Instead we have had a cruel shock – 2016/17 has been twice as bad as 2015/16, which until then had been our worst year.
“Our investment in improved facilities for our corporate clients has not made the difference we had hoped.
“We do not expect to be back where we were in 2014 before 2020.
“This is why we are asking for help from the people of the north-east now.”
Mr Snelling admitted that if the £300,000 target was not reached, the museum may need to make “cost savings” – which could jeopardise everything accomplished so far.
And he added: “The alternative could mean eventual closure.”
The shock news comes despite visitor figures having risen by 18% since 2014, with the income from admissions also up by 61%.
D-Day veteran John Johnstone, who has donated memorabilia to the museum, last night urged people to get behind the campaign.
The 96-year-old said: “I’m very disappointed to hear that the museum might have to shut – my wife and I go there quite often.
“I actually donated some of my memorabilia from WWII to them – I gave them a set of binoculars that I took from the commander of a German submarine went we entered Oslo harbour.
“I also donated the letter we received after we had liberated Norway – we all got a letter from King Haakon VII of Norway – thanking us all.”
Full details of how people in the north-east – and further afield – can support the museum will be revealed at the appeal launch on Monday.
