The Society have been concerned for some time about the future of the Bus museum in Broad Street. Their premises are leased from the City Council. The building is in a very bad state, with a threat of imminent collapse. Schemes have been proposed to take the buses right out of the city.

As a result of our deputation to the Council's Executive in February it was decided that, if practicable, a new building to house them would be put up on Town Quay, close to their present site. The money for this could come from the sale for housing of the valuable site they now occupy. A snag could be that MAFF might reclaim some if not all of the money they spent on the sheet-piling of the Camber.

Under threat of eviction the Bus Trust had leased a barn in the country; and this is where the buses have now gone, pending other arrangements. We very much hope that a new building will be provided, as the old buses are a very popular visitor attraction in Old Portsmouth and there is nowhere else where they can be seen as they were seen there. We understand that the city architect is working on a design.

A second best possibility which is being considered by the Council is for them to be housed in Fort Cumberland. This would have the advantage of helping to open the fort to the public and at the same time allowing the buses to run their seafront service. However Fort Cumberland belongs to English Heritage and is partly used by them as a research laboratory. Negotiations with them would be needed.

Roger James