The world-beater that restores your pride in Portsmouth | The News

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has produced a short-term rescue package in the nick of time for the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
By The News
Published 24th Jul 2020, 14:22 BST
Updated 24th Jul 2020, 14:23 BST
Inside the National Museum of the Royal NavyInside the National Museum of the Royal Navy
Inside the National Museum of the Royal Navy

The much-beloved treasure trove devoted to the history of the senior service and Portsmouth’s proud part in it had been days away from declaring itself insolvent after losing £6.35m during the coronavirus crisis.

It now appears a £5.4m cash grant from the treasury has staved off disaster — for now at least.

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The move now means the museum has enough cash in place to finally reopen its sites across the UK, including those in Portsmouth and Gosport.

Professor Dominic Tweddle, director general for the NMRN, said: ‘I cannot express the relief we all felt when we were told that additional funding would be made available to us.

Read More
Visitors ‘crucial’ in battle to save naval museum

‘It has been incredibly difficult over the last weeks and months with so much uncertainty around the future of the museum.’

Indeed, it should be seen as a relief for the nation, and Portsmouth in particular.

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The demise of one of the jewels in Portsmouth’s crown would be unthinkable.

Since the 1980s rundown of Portsmouth’s naval base an emblematic and administrative centre, it has been transformed into a heritage tourist attraction of world stature.

SEE ALSO: UK museum funding branded ‘unfair’ by heritage chief

Thousands flock annually to see HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, the Mary Rose, and to explore the delights of the NMRN itself, including William Wylyie’s priceless, spectacular panorama of the Battle of Waterloo.

It attracts visitors from all over the world and it is right on our doorstep.

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You may well be familiar with it, but if you are ‘staycationing’ in Britain this year, a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will be time well spent, and leave you feeling proud to be part of this great city.

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Related topics:PortsmouthNational Museum of the Royal NavyRishi SunakGosportHMS Victory

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