Museum seen through the keyhole

Ambitious plans for the historic building in New Road could see it moved to a landmark nearby site, where it is hoped it would become the gateway to the town.

Members of campaign group The Friends of Willenhall Lock Museum say the attraction could be relocated to the old Little London school, in Stafford Street, or the old town hall in Walsall Street, which is now a library.

Funding is currently being sought for the scheme, which has been designed to kickstart the town's regeneration.

The museum's future was left hanging in the balance after a proposal by owners the Black Country Living Museum to move the it brick-by-brick to its Tipton Road site was blocked following objections from English Heritage.

But Rupy Pandaal, secretary of the friends' group, said everyone was excited about the new concept sketch created by Wolverhampton-based ID Architects.

"It's very early days at the moment and we don't want to raise people's expectations unrealistically," he said.

"There is a long way to go, but we are optimistic about this. We have a few ideas as how it would work. The building itself has been moved in the past and as long as it stays in Willenhall, we hope it is possible to do it again.

"One possibility is putting it in the old town hall, which is currently home to the library.

"But perhaps the stronger option is the old Little London school, behind the cenotaph.

"That site has a lot of potential and would ensure it became a gateway to Willenhall, celebrating the industry that made it known around the world."

BCLM took over the building after Walsall Council withdrew funding.

Bosses at BCLM say relocating the building to its Tipton Road site in Dudley would ensure it would be seen by around 300,000 visitors each year.