Home / Crime and Justice / Museum Locks Sabotaged Amid Governance Chaos
Museum Locks Sabotaged Amid Governance Chaos
6 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Museum locks were broken, a key snapped off, amid a governance inquiry.
- The Charity Commission is investigating the museum over trustee disputes.
- An independent report called recent events a serious incident.
Cheshire Police are investigating after the locks at Congleton Museum were found broken, with a key snapped off in the mechanism. The museum team described the act as sabotage, though they later gained access and had the door repaired by a locksmith.
This incident occurs as the Charity Commission has officially opened a compliance case into the museum's trust. The investigation aims to address concerns about governance, reportedly stemming from a dispute involving founding trustee Ian Doughty and his seven fellow trustees.
An independent report commissioned by the board has characterized the recent events as a serious incident, which has also led to the museum being added to Arts Council England's risk register.
