COUNCIL CASH SQUEEZE FORCES MUSEUM CLOSURE

THE LONDON MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM has closed its doors for the last time.

Opened in 1999, the museum housed almost 200 bikes, with some dating back to 1907.

The museum contained one of the most comprehensive collections of Meriden-built Triumphs in the world.

The museum was set up by Bill Crosby who also owned Reg Allen’s, the legendary Triumph dealership that closed earlier this year.

When it was established the museum had support from Ealing Council which allowed the use of the council-owned site at a low rent.

The squeeze in local government funding has meant that the rent was massively hiked leaving the museum facing an annual £40,000 bill to pay.

Efforts to crowdfund to raise the money were unsuccessful.

Read more in the November 2019 issue of CBG – on sale now!