Council chiefs say discussions over expanding a Lichfield museum are not linked to the closure of a neighbouring business.
The owner of Boomers on Breadmarket Street says the cafe has been forced to shut permanently after scaffolding for repairs on the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum saw a drop in trade.
Sue Pettitt said takings had fallen by £3,000 in just four weeks of the work – which has since been extended after more issues came to light – beginning.
And she has now questioned why, at a meeting earlier this year, councillors backed a potential expansion of the museum into neighbouring units “should such an opportunity arise”.
Minutes from the Johnson Birthplace Advisory Committee meeting on 26th April reveal that talks over creating a bigger museum had taken place.
“A representative of the Johnson Society asked the committee to give its in principle support for expanding the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum into one of the adjoining properties should such an opportunity arise.
“This would offer numerous benefits, notably in terms of making more of the birthplace and its collections accessible to visitors, and creating better facilities for research, educational visits and events, but would of course create several issues, not least being funding for any such proposal.
“The committee confirmed its ‘in principle’ support.”
Minutes of Lichfield City Council’s Johnson Birthplace Advisory Committee meeting in April 2022
The cafe owner said she was concerned to discover that talks had taken place about the expansion even when her business had been operating.
“I am shocked at the lack of transparency from Lichfield City Council – they were hoping to purchase the property to expand the museum.
“They have destroyed my livelihood and my dream. Not a single representative has contacted me since I was forced to close.
“Because they answer only to themselves they can do what they want to anybody with no conscience or reprisal.”
Sue Pettitt
But a Lichfield City Council spokesperson said the discussions over the possible expansion had been ongoing for decades – and that any such plans could be beyond its financial reach.
“The structural work being undertaken to the exterior of the building and the associated repairs are necessary to safeguard the public and for the preservation of the building – the city council could not ignore the need for this work to be addressed.
“The council has put reasonable voluntary mitigation measures in place and believes it has complied with all prevailing legal requirements.
“The possibility of acquiring a neighbouring building has been discussed on occasion since at least the 1990s. In 2018 the possibility was looked at again, since which time both buildings immediately adjacent to the museum have been occupied by new tenants.
“It was discussed by the Johnson Birthplace Advisory Committee as a long term aspiration with significant obstacles in April 2021 and again in April 2022.
“An opportunity for acquisition would be investigated by the council as it offers significant potential benefits to the museum and its visitors. However, such consideration would need to be balanced against factors such as the purchase price, refurbishment and remodelling costs and limitations, plus the ongoing cost liability of adding an additional building to the city council’s assets.
“The impact on the city council’s finances if it were to fund such a project would be very significant indeed – potentially beyond the council’s reasonable reach.
“The decision would need to be made by full council following receipt of professional advice relating to the above.”
Lichfield City Council spokesperson
A private meeting between the city council and Boomers are set to be held later this month.
I don’t believe there is any connection, as the article says, this is a long-term aspiration which has been discussed for decades. The implication that scaffold was erected to put the neighbouring cafe out of business is patently ridiculous.
I for one hope the expansion happens. Extending Lichfield’s most valuable museum to draw in visitors and raise the profile of the area is far more beneficial to Lichfield than yet another cafe, in which we are already drowning. Dr Johnson’s museum really does need a renovation and improvements, let’s hope this is taken forward asap!
In response to Steve’s comment,
Even if you believe people will come from far and wide in order to see a museum (which wont be the case) the whole reason for “attractions” is so people come into the city to spend money and in turn, improve the economy.
It’s costing thousands for this renovation and if it then leads to the closure of other business’ as well, the whole reason for the attraction itself would be null and void.
You have to remember that the people that run these Cafe’s are in fact people – not just faceless entities that serve you your Tory bagel and coffee every morning. They are trying to make a living for themselves and I am sure, if they where to take benefits you would call them scroungers. Please consider that these are real people doing what they can and a building is far less important than them.
So the council basically invented the need for structural repairs in the hope that it would put a neighbouring cafe out of business to potentially allow it to purchase a building that it might not be able to afford, or indeed the owner may not wish to sell? To do so they must have conspired with contractors and designers and all the rest of the clipboard wielding types that are involved in this kind of work.
I know Councils do some silly things, but this is a bit of a wild accusation to say the least. The owner clearly puts all the blame for the failure of their business at the feet of the council, perhaps they need to look a little closer to home.
NKI…… I didn’t realise that Bagels were Tory. But surely they would need to be 16 to be able to vote….. a bit stale by then.
NKI, businesses open and businesses close. There are hundreds of cafes in Lichfield. There’s only one Dr Johnson museum. If we can improve it and make it better, that will attract people, who will spend money, then nobody should be against that. Might be too late for Boomers but not for other hospitality businesses in the area. I have every sympathy for the staff and owners at Boomers, but the city must progress and can’t stand still or go backwards for the sake of one business.
People moan about money being spent to improve the city, but also moan when there’s no investment in our heritage assets. Can’t win!
I’m not sure the Johnson museum is that much of an attraction these days. I doubt many are aware of him or his dictionary.
To quote his own words about other minor attractions he said..”It is worth seeing but not worth going to see!” Darwin House offers much more and is hardly ever mentioned.
More than just expanding the Johnson museum, why not have something (eg museum/art gallery) that envelops not just the “usual suspects” (ie Johnson, Darwin, Garrick, the Cathedral etc) but looks at Lichfield and its history as a whole – I am sure there are loads of potential exhibits languishing, unseen around the city in various archives. Why not take on the old Debenhams for instance?
I still say that the 3 reasons for this cafe takings to be down is
1) no one has the money to vist cafes every day
2) their clients are on holiday away from Lichfield
3) they have children/grand kids that are not at school at the moment.
I’ve been asking Lichfield Council to open a museum about Lichfield (and its history) for some time. I was told it isn’t on the agenda. Yet smaller places with less history are able to run a little museums. We can’t. I blame a lacklustre, unambitious Council with no foresight.
Samuel Johnson is a cultural figure of international importance, and his birthplace is one of Lichfield’s greatest treasures. It draws thousands of visitors every year, from across Britain and around the world, who spend money in the city’s hotels, shops, restaurants and cafes; being right next to the birthplace, Boomers was no doubt one of the beneficiaries of this. The works to the birthplace are clearly necessary – not least because, as I recall, a section of plaster actually fell off the front of the building late last year. I am sorry that Boomers has found it necessary to close, but to blame this on the birthplace scaffolding is surely simplistic, and the apparent attempt on the part of its owners to foment a ‘conspiracy theory’ strikes me as disreputable.
Here’s a worthy suggestion – why don’t we turn Lichfield City Council into a new museum into how councils used to be run in olden days – The Town Clerk could run guided tours in his regalia, his assistant could push around the tea trolley offering teas, coffees and macaroons and the Market Manager could run the gift stall (including LCC tea towels, LCC shortbread 2 finger salutes, LCC who’s who and LCC Monopoly) on one of the many spaces on the Market…….let’s run a sweepstake how many there are tomorrow! I’m going for 10!!!
I know this is slightly off-topic, but one of the deficiencies of the otherwise iconic Johnson Birthplace Museum that has (IMO) been greatly overlooked since time immemorial and has always bugged me is the absence of on-site toilet facilities for paying visitors, but I bet a tenner that the museum staff have at least one private toilet for their own use somewhere within the building.
By contrast, Erasmus Darwin House has on-site toilet facilities for use by paying visitors, and luckily within the actual building itself.
So perhaps the development of on-site toilet facilities at the Johnson museum would be one worthwhile addition as part of the ‘extension’?
It is worth noting that a cafe exists immediately adjacent to Bloomers. There is also one next door to the museum around the corner from Bloomers as well as several others nearby. Is the income deficit of Bloomers not just a case of commercial pressure from the density of other establishments nearby. Maybe it is not the works on the museum that is to blame but rather poor planning that allows so many similar businesses in close proximity. I am sure that this is what our MP calls “market forces at work”, but of course this attitude does not take account of people’s livelihood and wellbeing. My best wishes to all at Bloomers
I kind of agree with you Simon.
As other posters have already pointed out upthread, there are no doubt several factors that have affected the fate of Boomers, such as less disposable income for many of us, the recent holiday season, extremes of weather, including our recent heatwaves, which have of course compelled many to stay at home, competition from other likewise establishments within close proximity, and possibly even certain foibles with Boomers themselves, yet they (Boomers) seem intent on playing the blame game on the Council over the imperative renovation of the Johnson Birthplace Museum.
Don’t get me wrong; I don’t wish hardship on anyone and I feel sad for the owners of Boomers, and any other business that ends up being victims of bad luck beyond their control, but reading between the lines, I can sense more issues at play concerning the failure of Boomers than simply customers being put off by the unsightly scaffolding in front of the adjoining museum, as already covered.
Anybody can see that the scaffolding was bound to affect Bloomers.I wish them well and hope they can start up again sometime.
Loved their menu.
As for the Johnson brigade please don’t spend any more money on this.If you want a museum,let’s have one about General Lichfield life over the past years .However who is going to pay for the light and heating?
Council tax should be for the people.Keeping them fed and warm.
We are sleepwalking into disaster for many.
Inspired by a visit to Johnson’s birthplace a while back, I recently read a biography of him. He was clearly a remarkable person, who had to overcome a lot of challenges in life, but still became a great writer and talker, and a true friend to the poor and needy. We should be very proud that he was born in Lichfield, and if people don’t know about him we should try to change that. His birthplace already does a lot, but no doubt could do more if it had space to expand. I went to Boomers a couple of times, and I’m sorry it’s had to close, but I really don’t think that can be blamed on the scaffolding, and talk of a conspiracy seems to me just plain silly.
I agree with those who have said that there should be a general museum of Lichfield’s history; realistically, however, that wish wouldn’t be brought any nearer by rejecting the (quite possibly once in a lifetime) opportunity to expand Johnson’s birthplace and improve its facilities, for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. If the necessary funds can be found, I hope that the City Council will proceed with the birthplace expansion, and won’t allow itself to be put off by ‘fake news’ about a non-existent conspiracy.
Totally agree Frank.
Johnson’s Birthplace Museum should (and deserves to be) improved.
Equally, I cannot believe Lichfield does not have a museum about the city’s history. The Staffordshire Hoard was found just down the road, I’m sure a regular loan of a few items could also go into a new museum.