Flintshire based holiday park operator reopens Stratford Armouries Museum following acquisition

A Flintshire based holiday park operator is to re-open the Stratford Armouries Museum after it was acquired during the height of the pandemic.

Talacre headquartered Darwin Escapes took over the armouries museum as part of a new 44 lodge Stratford-upon-Avon site which opened in May.

According to local news reports, there was speculation that the museum would permanently close following the acquisition by the holiday park operator.

However, Darwin – which operates 24 holiday resorts and three golf courses in England and Wales – has revived and enhanced the armouries museum offer.

It is now home to a number of exhibitions, including one covering the life of former prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill.

The memoirs include a collection of paintings by Churchill himself, dating back to his childhood and collated by Carol Harwood of the Sarah-Harwood Collection, a group recognised by the International Churchill Society.

Alongside the detailed visual representation of the World War Two prime minister, there are also exhibitions showing off the history of the Vickers Wellington Bomber and the heroic tales of the taking of Pegasus Bridge on D-Day, in Normandy, France.

There is also a life size trench scene to explore with the Stratford Armouries Museum attempting to convey the first-hand experiences of those that fought.

Lindsey Esse, managing director of Darwin Escapes, said: “We are very proud to be re-opening the Stratford Armouries Museum, not only because we are excited to show off the fantastic renovations we have made, but because we know that the museum is an important part of local culture.

“With the help of some incredible local volunteers, we have built up a number of fascinating exhibitions which we think people will enjoy, and with our new lodge retreat on the same site, we think that the area provides a fantastic getaway opportunity.”