'A huge victory': Walsall Leather Museum building gets listed status on same day closure date and new home revealed
The Walsall Leather Museum has been awarded Grade II Listed status by Historic England.
The decision notice, issued on March 11, found that the building ‘illustrated Walsall’s leather industry at its height’ and ‘fully merits’ the criteria for listed status.
The application was submitted by chair of Aldridge-Brownhills Reform UK branch, Nicky Barker.
The Historic England ruling was issued the same day Walsall Council announced the new home for the Leather Museum at 1-3 The Bridge.
It comes following a passionate, community-led campaign, supported by local MP Valerie Vaz and over 6,000 signatories, who fought to save the museum from from closure or relocation.
In September 2025 Walsall Council approved plans to close the museum at its current site on Littleton Street West and relocate it to the town centre.
Cabinet members granted permission for Walsall College to use the museum building for its SEND provision, currently at Hawbush Road.
Ms Barker, who is also standing as a candidate in the upcoming local elections for the Bloxwich West ward, described the decision as a ‘huge victory’ for the Walsall community.
In the report Historic England said: “The workshops on Wisemore are amongst a very small group of such buildings of this date surviving in Walsall, and so are of particular significance for the town as they embody the industry that played a major part in the lives of many local people.
“The interior still reflects the environment where leather working was carried out at benches positioned near large, regularly spaced windows, thereby illustrating the special interest of this regionally distinctive industry.
“The buildings are of good quality Victorian industrial design, purpose built for the leather working industry that is synonymous with Walsall.
“The scarcity of contemporary surviving leather working buildings from this nationally important industry confirms the Wisemore buildings’ special interest, and they fully merit listing at Grade II.”
The designation means any works to the building would now require listed building consent from the planning authority – Walsall Council.
Ms Barker said: “I’m delighted that this important piece of Walsall’s heritage has been protected.
“So many people have come together, organising protests, campaigning, and working tirelessly to protect this historic and much-loved Leather Museum.
“Achieving Grade II listed status is a huge victory for our community and for preserving Walsall’s history for future generations.”
