A planning application has been submitted to Walsall Council seeking to demolish the Locksmith’s House on New Road Willenhall, reports cllr Ian Shires.  “This devastating news has come like a bolt out of the blue” said Ian.

It was only back in April that Willenhall’s Local Neighbourhood Partnership (LNP) received a presentation relating to the future of the Locksmith’s House following the withdrawal of funding by Walsall’s Tory Cabinet.

The presentation was given by the operators of the Locksmith’s House who are the Black Country Living Museum based in Dudley. It was reported that they had engaged consultants to carry out an options appraisal and report on their findings.

It was hoped that one of the options would be to keep the Locksmith’s House open and viable on its present site in Willenhall the home of the UK lock industry.

When asked about suggestions from leading tories on Walsall’s council that the Locksmith’s House should be shifted to Dudley’s Living Museam, the LNP was told that the cost of demolition and rebuilding at the Living Museum’s base in Dudley would be prohibitive.  “Yet here we are, just two months down the road and we are faced with the loss of a part of Willenhall’s history” said Ian. “What happened to them reporting on their findings?  What ever happened to consultation?” he said.

Urgent talks have been demanded with the Black Country Living Museum to see if, even at this late stage, it is possible to save the Locksmith’s House. A report will be going to the LNP’s 16th July meeting.  “We will keep you in touch with developments” concluded Ian.