COMMENT: Missing out on Royal Marines Museum grant is a bitter blow

The city-based NMRN was pinning its hopes on a bid for £3.9m that would go towards creating a modern, world-leading Historic Dockyard home in which to showcase the long and proud history of the Royal Marines.

It even had the support of Prince Harry, who in January backed plans for a new museum in one of his last acts as Captain General of the unit before stepping down from royal duties.

But bosses at the Heritage Lottery Fund have rejected the application - for a second time. The door has been left open for the NMRN to make another application at some point in the future, but the message really does seem to be that it's not going to get the money.

The HLF says it receives lots of requests for financial assistance and that the NMRN has lost out to other applicants.

The decision is not only bad news for the NMRN, but for the city as a whole.

A new museum would have become an important addition to Portsmouth's cultural offering that attracts visitors from around the world.

There’s been three years of work behind the scenes to try to secure it for Portsmouth and the NMRN has made a significant investment in a hi-tech storage site in the Historic Dockyard for the Royal Marines collection.

We certainly share the NMRN's huge disappointment. No visitors to its sites in Belfast, Hartlepool, Yeovilton, Portsmouth and Gosport during the coronavirus restrictions means no income and a significant challenge.

And now this. It must be hard to take.