Leicester Conservatives have criticised the Labour-run City Council for announcing new £12.50 entry charges to the revamped Jewry Wall Museum — a site that has already cost taxpayers over £16 million to redevelop.
Commissioned by Sir Peter Soulsby, the long-delayed vanity project has been plagued by construction setbacks and now comes with an admission fee for the first time. Despite being publicly funded, the museum offers no discount for Leicester residents.
“This is a question of priorities,” said Cllr Hemant Rae Bhatia, Leader of the Opposition at Leicester City Council. “While local services face the axe under this Labour administration, Sir Peter Soulsby is now rolling out costly attractions that many residents won’t be able to afford to visit.”
The timing of the announcement — just a week before the Council is due to debate its controversial “Museum Service Vision” and a city-wide consultation on defunding libraries and community centres — has fuelled public anger.
Under the plans, Labour is proposing to virtually close public access to Abbey Pumping Station, Newarke Houses Museum and Belgrave Hall, while beloved community spaces across Leicester face closure.
Meanwhile, the Council is pressing ahead with a £550,000 café upgrade at the King Richard III Visitor Centre and has already committed over £16 million to the Jewry Wall redevelopment — equivalent to around £130 per household — only to charge residents again to visit a site they’ve already paid for.
The Jewry Wall Museum, once free to enter, will now charge:
- £12.50 for adults
- £6.25 for children
- £32 for a family of four
Leicester Conservatives say residents are being asked to pay twice — first through their council tax, and again at the door.
“Of course we support celebrating Leicester’s Roman heritage — but not while community centres from Netherhall to New Parks and from Braunstone to Belgrave are on the chopping block,” Cllr Rae Bhatia added. “This isn’t about culture versus cuts. It’s about Labour getting its priorities badly wrong.”
Leicester Conservatives are calling for:
- A Leicester resident discount for Jewry Wall Museum
- Full transparency over City Council finances
- A halt to Labour’s proposals to defund community facilities
