With regards to the letter published in this week’s Beccles and Bungay Journal ‘Your Opinions’ section on Friday 21st January ‘No great surprise castle is at risk’:

Bungay Museum Trust (Registered Charity 272615) was established to maintain a museum collection for the public benefit and education of the inhabitants of the town and local communities. Bungay Museum Trust has not received nor to date benefited from any money from the Smith bequest. The money from this bequest was held by the Castle Trust, all monies from the sale of the Kings Head Hotel are managed and held by the Castle Trust, and the Museum Trust does not have access to any further information about this fund or how it is spent.

Since late 2021, Bungay Museum Trust has not had a representative on the Castle Trust. Last year we were informed by representatives of the Castle Trust that the Museum Trust would not be separately entitled to any of the funds from the Smith bequest/proceeds of the sale of the Kings Head held within the Castle Trust accounts. As far as we are aware, the Castle Trust has not yet decided how it plans to proceed with any future development on the Castle site, and the ‘Bungay, Bigod and Beyond’ project as it was originally conceived. The Museum Trust has, on a number of occasions, advised the Castle Trust to seek urgent support and advice with management of the castle fabric and archaeological remains from professional heritage organisations.

Bungay Museum Trust finances are totally dependent upon income from museum visitors. As a result of necessary closures due to Covid-19, these funds are severely depleted.

Board of Trustees.