CONCERNS have been raised that in-house historical experts could be lost from Andover’s museums in a bid to save money.

Specialist roles at venues such as the Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age – run by the Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) - could be replaced in favour of more digital investment to create cultural hubs.

In an e-mail seen by The Advertiser, it is claimed the change will reduce the trust’s venues to “second rate coffee shops/trinket stalls and not much else” and at least two trustees have resigned as a result of the move.

The trust has confirmed there will be a 10 per cent reduction in its staff but argued the wider changes it was making would “lead to rich and engaging experiences for our customers”.

The trust was set up in 2014 to operate arts and museum facilities previously operated by Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council and to secure a resilient future for arts and museum facilities.

An open letter has been sent to Hampshire County Council’s culture and communities select committee, saying the council should take back ownership of venues.

The concerns raised are that with the cuts within the trust there will be no-one to deal with hundreds of public and peer group enquiries each year visiting venues around Hampshire.

The letter reads: “[The trust’s] tireless, disgraceful campaign to remove and mothball important objects and convert all museums to second rate coffee shops/trinket stalls and not much else is set to continue unless action is taken very soon.”

HCT chief executive Dr Janet Owen said: “We are replacing our current arrangement of central specialist subject curators and exhibition officers with cultural experience roles that will be responsible for curatorship and exhibitions within each work stream. These roles will focus on placing collections at the heart of our programmes.

“We are also increasing the number of posts based in our community museum venues, all of which will have a strong social impact focus: Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age will now be operated by a Community Manager.

“The wonderful team of over 400 volunteers, who work across our venues and make things happen, will be supported by a post concerned with their development and support.

“This represents an exciting shift in focus for HCT that places communities, collections and stories at the heart of the experience we create for and with our audiences. It will ensure that activity will be more focused and will lead to rich and engaging experiences for our customers.”