ALTHOUGH the new Fusiliers Museum will not open in the Arts and Crafts Centre until the latter part of 2008, the business planning has already begun and the directors of the charitable company that will run it are busy working out what the costs will be.

A larger staff will be needed than at Wellington Barracks and other bills will be significantly higher. The directors are undertaking research to ensure that there will be adequate income to cover the costs. A company is currently being sought to run the museum's caf so that partnership working can begin and so that the future management can advise on the requirements of the kitchen and preparation areas. Advertisements will appear soon in the local press and briefs are available now.

The company is a relatively new one although its directors have some considerable experience of business and financial management. Edmund Gartside is a retired director of a large local company and John Kershaw is a retired bank manager. Other directors include Andrew Chapman a solicitor specialising in land management and Brian Gorski the Area Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Even with plenty of commercial experience on board, some of the directors met today with Malcolm Vickers one of the directors of the East Lancashire Railway. Malcolm is extremely experienced in the operation of commercial activities to provide income for a non-profit making heritage attraction, and his advice to the new company was invaluable.

Malcolm and his colleagues at the ELR are also engaged in a development project at the Bury Transport Museum. Subject to the success of a Heritage Lottery Fund bid currently being considered for that project it is proposed that the ELR's advice with the operation of a charitable company can be repaid with some help on a fundraising plan from the Fusiliers.

Both the ELR and the Bury Transport Museum are part of a network of heritage facilities in Bury that together with Bury Art Gallery, Museum and Archive and the new Fusiliers Museum will make Bury a worthwhile day visit from further afield. All of the four attractions plan to work together on complimentary events and joint activities.