The Minories Colcehester may shut if vital funds not raised

Emma Howe, of Colchester, is the director of The Minories, in the High Street, which is urgently looking to raise funds for a new boiler.

Mrs Howe said the gallery’s current 15-year-old boiler which is found in the building’s basement and was installed by Colchester Institute when it was operating in the building, is now “effectively obsolete”.

In October, The Minories was advised by its plumbing contractor, Cooper & Broome, it needs several parts replacing urgently but due to its age, these parts are no longer available.

Needs replacing - the old boiler (Image: The Minories) The plumbing firm told Mrs Howe it had a “complicated” system and installing a new boiler and fitting it would cost roughly £7,500.

Mrs Howe said: "When we found out I felt a huge sense of dread, especially because of the timing.

“Our historic Grade II listed building is expensive to run all year round, but the most expensive time is from November to March, when we have to put the heating on.

“Such a big cost in one go is a massive blow to a small organisation like ours.

Boss - Emma Howe (Image: Mads Pierce) “Raising the money so quickly, as the damaged parts might fail at any time, is a daunting task, which we do not take lightly.”

A JustGiving page has now been set up by The Minories in effort to raise the funds as the gallery doesn’t receive any sort of financial support from Colchester Council or Essex County Council.

According to Mrs Howe, if the funds aren’t raised soon, The Minories will have to close until it is raised to fit a new boiler.

This would “be a disaster” for the gallery and the five other organisations it hosts, including Common Ground Colchester, Boys and Men, the British Origami Society, Creative Co-op, and the East Anglian Folklore Centre.

Area - The Minories and Colchester High Street (Image: Mads Pierce) The Minories would also have to close a “major” winter exhibition by Colchester Art Society which starts on Thursday and should run until December 22.

The fundraising page has received £593 worth of donations at the time of writing this article.

Mrs Howe said: “We have already been overwhelmed by public support for the Minories over the past year, and every donation made as part of this campaign is hugely important to us.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/campaign/minories-boiler-campaign.