Martin Tod slams Government for washing hands of Textile Conservation Centre

8.51.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Jul 2008

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner, Martin Tod, has reacted angrily to the Government's response to the a petition backed by over 3,300 people opposing the planned closure of Winchester's Textile Conservation Centre.

"The Government is wrong to wash its hands of the Textile Conservation Centre.

This isn't just about the University of Southampton. If we lose the Textile Conservation Centre, it's a national loss. Closure of the TCC means the end of post-graduate training in textile conservation in the UK. There is no plan b. It's no surprise that there has been national and international outcry about the closure. The country as a whole will be worse off, and there will be knock-on consequences for our museums and heritage, and the tourism and arts that rely on them."