Stroud to get new museum

Stroud District Council has held a six-way credentials pitch for its plans for a new ú605 000 social history museum for the Gloucestershire town. The pitch list includes Objectives, Richard Fowler Associates, John Kirk Design, Hayley Sharpe Associates and Robin Wade & Partners.

The museum should open in two years and will be in an 18th century mansion house. It will be a `classic local museum’, according to Richard Fowler, covering archaeology, natural history and a section devoted to local author Laurie Lee.