Swindon, the town which was once deemed as “ugly” could find itself as an unlikely addition to the tourist itinerary, if a campaign succeeds. A multi-million pound bid is being launched for Swindon to become a new cultural destination, similar to the likes of the National Gallery and Tate Modern, Stratford-upon-Avon or even Bath.
The Council of Swindon describes the place as having “a bit of an image problem”.
There will be a £17.5 million museum and gallery as its centre, which aims to rival anything that London has to offer.
There are also Gurkhas, Goans, as well as Gujaratis who live in Swindon and made it their home.
The campaign is being supported by the founder of Hiscox insurance and a noted art collector, Robert Hiscox. He said, “I was High Sheriff of Wiltshire for a year and I saw Salisbury, which is lovely, and then I went to Swindon. I think the term for it is 'architecturally challenged'. It is ugly, but it's wonderful that people appreciate that and want to make it better. My heart went out to Swindon. The current museum is in a house in the Old Town, which is not the heart of Swindon- but Swindon has no heart, that's its problem. A town needs a heart.”
Hiscox further added, “Swindon is not a tourist destination. It has an image similar to that of Slough or Croydon. But it has an art collection which everyone admires, a good ceramics collection, and a great science and engineering heritage. We want to combine all of those in the new museum and gallery.”
