Leader heralds exciting plans for Museum and Art Gallery building

The local authority is working closely with a local property development company, which plans to buy and rejuvenate one of the town centre’s most iconic buildings.

Subject to planning, Hush Property Developments will transform the former Museum and Art Gallery, which was built in 1883.

The company, which has expertise in the redevelopment of historical buildings, hopes to open a fun hospitality facility there, with a focus on restoring and highlighting its key period features. When complete it could offer a food and drink court, indoor cricket, escape rooms, mini golf, laser quest and inflatable entertainment.

The building is situated around the Stone Street Square area, near the Town Hall where the local authority recently opened Brookes Bistro, and forms part of the council’s vision for a hospitality quadrant. The plans could create up to 40 new jobs.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

This council and business collaboration heralds a major step forward in our vision for Dudley’s night-time and hospitality offer.

The businesses will play a key role in our work to revitalise Dudley’s local economy, offering night-time activities and accommodation to people in the town, and will see significant investment in one of our most prized and historic buildings.

Last year Dudley Council also opened Brookes Bistro at The Town Hall, which has kickstarted Dudley’s night-time resurgence.

Hayley Andrews, co-founder and chief executive officer at Hush Property Developments, said:

We are investing today for a better tomorrow, and we see a huge potential in Dudley town, having actively invested here for over a decade.

Born and bred in the Black Country, we are passionate about regeneration and breathing life back into our historic towns and buildings. Dudley is steeped in history and rich in heritage, with the most beautiful buildings, and it is our mission to restore and evolve the area one project at a time.

The former art gallery and museum is a beautiful grade II listed building dating back to the late 1800s that we have admired and visited many times over the years. We are delighted to have the opportunity to breathe new life into it, while sympathetically restoring and exposing all of the original features and elegance.