FRIENDS of a museum with strong links to the Brontes, which is closing down due to budget cuts, are hoping it can stay open until Christmas.

Earlier this month Kirklees Council took the decision to completely shut two museums by the end of March next year.

It had been thought that once the decision was made Red House Museum in Gomersal could be closed as early as next month.

But Jacqueline Ryder, chairman of the Friends of Red House Museum, said they have appealed to the council to allow them to stay open until Christmas.

The Grade II-listed 17th century cloth merchant’s home was frequently visited by Charlotte Bronte and was featured in her novel, Shirley.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: “At the moment we are hoping it will be able to stay open until Christmas but we are just waiting for that confirmation from the council. “We are in limbo when it comes to organising events in the run up to Christmas until we get a date.”

The authority’s museums and galleries budget is being cut by half from April next year, and plans were therefore drawn up to restructure the service.

As well as Red House Museum, Dewsbury Museum is also to close.

Oakwell Hall and Country Park in Birstall and Bagshaw Museum are to stay and a new Huddersfield Museum and Art Gallery will be created.

In the short term, Huddersfield’s Tolson Museum and the current art gallery will be retained to maintain a presence in south Kirklees, but Tolson is also set to shut in the long-term.

Expressions of interest in the Red House and Dewsbury museum buildings which are no longer required are also being invited.

Mrs Ryder added: “I’m sure the council will consider any serious approach to them, including charities and social groups.

“As far as we are aware, groups such as the National Trust, English Heritage and The Bronte Society, but none of them are interested in taking on the house as far as we know.”

Graham Turner, cabinet member for Creative Kirklees, confirmed at the earlier cabinet meeting that there had been no interest in either site, saying: “We have spoken to many organisations in the museums and heritage sector, and no-one has expressed an interest in taking on any of the sites.”

It is intended that the collections will be transferred to other museum buildings or to a storage facility.

Mrs Ryder said that other than the period furniture and items in the house, there are two things of interest due to the Bronte connection. These are the windows in the dining room and a painting of Vesuvius, both of which are described in the 1849 novel. Charlotte was a frequent visitor to Red House, which was owned at the time by the family of her close friend Mary Taylor.