THE dream of a new Minehead Museum building was shattered this week when a deal for spacious new premises in The Avenue was abruptly called off when it was found the existing tenants had not been told of the impending sale.

As reported in last week’s Free Press, museum trustees had applied to Somerset Council planners for a change of use for two adjoining shops at 40 The Avenue, currently occupied by T2T Clothing and Poppins children’s community shop.

The new location would have more than doubled the museum’s display area and it was hoped to welcome the first visitors early next season.

After the planning application was withdrawn, a torrent of posts on social media claimed the shops were very important to the community and praised the museum ‘for doing the right thing’.

Poppins, opened in 2021, recycles children’s clothes, books, and toys, and gives profits to local children’s causes.

A spokesperson for the shop posted: “We have been assured by Minehead Museum that they have decided to pull out of the purchase of our building.

“They were unaware the situation was being wrongfully handled by the seller, our landlord.

“But for now, and the foreseeable future, we are staying put.”

After the cancellation of expansion plans, museum trustees chairman Julian Luke said: “The response to the proposal had been very positive.

“There was, however, some understandable concern over the future of Poppins and now we have had a chance to speak to those running both shops, it was clear that the use of the building was better suited to its existing tenants.

“It was certainly extremely unfortunate that the tenants were not informed by the landlords in advance, after we had been continually urged them to do so.

“I would certainly not want to find out via the media.

“A change of use planning application is required for a museum and as such is publicised.

“It would be very worrying if such transactions were carried out without the right for the public to comment.

‘The purchase was always going to be conditional on obtaining that consent.

"We continue to remain open in our existing premises and the trustees remain committed to providing better premises to allow full and free access to the collection for the whole community.

“We do, however, face a real problem with finding secure, financially viable premises and there is a real prospect that without the existing support of the YMCA’s Beach Hotel even the existing provision will not be available in the future.”

Following recent events, there will be an open evening at the museum on September 2 from 5 pm to 7 pm when the public can ask questions about its future.

The two ground floor lock-up shops at 40 The Avenue are owned by Exmoor Sheepskin Shop Ltd, of Minehead.

Company director Heather Yendole, who was involved in the proposed sale of the properties, is a former trustee of Minehead Museum.

Contacted by the Free Press this week, Mrs Yendole declined to comment.