The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has agreed to buy the Royal Armouries’ hospitality and events division, Royal Armouries International (RAI), in a deal worth £11.2m.
RAI assets include the cafe and catering arm, events business and car park. The business will continue to honour all bookings.
The DCMS said that bringing both the Royal Armouries museum and the RAI operations together would enable the museum to consolidate its position as one of the leading cultural and business tourism attractions in the North.
The Royal Armouries museum and venue moved to Leeds in 1996 and houses one of the oldest collections of arms and armour in the world. It is the UK’s oldest museum.
Both the DCMS and RAI directors welcomed the deal. The £11.2m acquisition means the Royal Armouries museum will take ownership of the commercial offer at its site in Leeds and unify all museum operations, aligning services with the highly successful model used at other major DCMS-sponsored national museums.
Michael Ellis, minister for arts, heritage and tourism, said: “This deal begins a new chapter for the Royal Armouries, bringing the museum and commercial arms together to evolve the full offer of this fantastic cultural institution in the heart of Yorkshire. The move will help this world-class museum go from strength to strength, attracting new visitors from home and abroad. It is a clear statement of the government’s continued commitment to arts and culture across the North of England.”
Chair of the Royal Armouries board of trustees Lord Richard Dannatt said: “The Royal Armouries museum has established a very strong cultural presence within the North of England over the past 20 years. I am delighted with this landmark deal for the Royal Armouries which will enable it to continue to flourish and grow for many years to come. I extend my deep thanks to the DCMS for their commitment and support and to the outgoing directors of the Royal Armouries International for their contribution to our story in Leeds.”
Managing director of RAI, James Vincent said: “The directors of RAI have been involved at Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds for over 20 years. It is now the right time for the catering, corporate hospitality and event arm to be brought closer to the museum and for the directors to stand to one side. We wish the RAI team and this wonderful national museum, here in the north of England every success for the future.”
