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PM backs Preston's National Football Museum bid
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has thrown his weight behind a multi-million pound rescue deal to keep the National Football Museum in Preston.
The Prime Minister voiced his backing for the ambitious blueprint drawn up by Lancashire County Council, Preston City Council and the University of Central Lancashire and spoke of the city's great footballing history.
The PM said his Government will continue to provide financial support for the flagship attraction and praised PNE as a "great team".
In a wide-ranging question and answer session with Lancashire Evening Post readers, Mr Brown also:
Spoke honestly about the challenges of being a modern dad, admitting "all of us as parents should in a sense be in parenting classes";
Told the father of a Lancashire soldier that he too would be happy for his own sons to serve in Afghanistan and is confident that they would have the best equipment money could buy;
Warned "parents from hell" that they face losing their homes or having their children taken into care;
Pledged that his Government will not dump defence projects – such as the final order of the Lancashire-built Eurofighter Typhoon – to which the MoD has already committed.
His comments about the football museum are a major boost to the Deepdale-based attraction and will lift campaigners who are attempting to prevent it from being snatched by Manchester.
The LEP yesterday revealed how the two councils and UCLan have pledged 400,000 a year to keep the museum running for the foreseeable future. They are also putting together a package to carry out a crucial 3m refurbishment.
Voicing his support during an interview in the LEP newsroom, Mr Brown said: "Preston has a great reputation and history in football landscape so I wish the bid well.' And he added: "I think it's really important that we have a national football museum.
"I was involved in helping a number of years ago with Mark Hendrick (Preston Labour MP) trying to make sure that there was funding from the Department of Culture and Sport.
"I think we are putting in about 100,000 a year into the museum and will continue to do so. We will continue to support the museum. The real issue is the joint venture that is coming forward from the two councils and also from the university and so I wish it well."
Mr Brown, 58, a lifelong Raith Rovers fan, spoke of PNE's proud history said he even remembers the transfer 44 years ago, when he was still at school, of young Scottish midfielder George Lyall from Raith to Preston.
He said: "Preston North End is a great team. I remember when I was at school and my team was Raith Rovers, a player from our team – George Lyall – coming down to play at Preston a long time ago. I remember that from my early days."
>> UCLan and councils produce museum rescue bid
>> Vote in our latest web poll
The petition runs until the end of this month. Readers can still sign by visiting our special Save Our Museum section.
>> Gordon Brown's visit to the LEP in pictures
To review the live coverage and to see complete video of the whole event, go here
For comprehensive coverage of Gordon Brown's visit to the Lancashire Evening Post, see Friday's LEP
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Weather for Preston
Saturday 04 February 2012
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