COUNCIL cash could be used to bail out Wantage’s museum because not enough has been raised to pay builders working on a major revamp.

Vale and Downland Museum still needs to find £200,000 before work on a new two-storey extension finishes next month.

Last week, chairman of the trustees Terry Fraser asked Vale of White Horse District Council to help.

After a meeting on Friday the council said it could lend up to £100,000 – but the rest would have to come from donations, grants or a bank loan.

Additions to the 17th-century museum include an archive block, kitchen, office and workshop.

The lease on the current archive storage building at the site is due to end in June.

Work started at the Church Street museum – which attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year – in September.

But the cost of the project has soared from £350,000 to more than £500,000 due to unexpected construction and legal costs.

By January, only about £320,000 had been raised by the museum through legacies, donations and council grants.

District council leader Matthew Barber said he would prefer the trust to get all the funding from bank loans or grants.

He said the situation was “less than desirable” but added: “If they have explored all other opportunities we will do what we can to save the museum.

“It’s a valuable amenity in the town that serves the wider area and attracts a number of visitors to Wantage and the Vale.”

He said the council would take interest on any loan but at a lower rate than a bank.

He added: “They came to us because it would be cheaper than a commercial lender, but we would still get a reasonable return for the taxpayer.”

Mr Fraser said: “We are very pleased the district has offered to help us.

“We know it is short notice, but we will pay it back as we get other grants we have been promised.

He said grants had become harder to secure in the economic climate.

Town councillor Fiona Roper said: “It’s unfortunate that the work has started before the money is in place.

“In an ideal world one wouldn’t want to do things that way round.

“But they needed a proper archive.

“The other building was very inadequate and pokey.”

To donate, call the museum on 01235 771447 or Mr Fraser on 01235 766003.