'These centres were never likely to cover their costs solely based on what was paid at the front door'

THE boss at one of Newcastle's leading attractions has urged the Government to “level the playing field” and offer a vital funding boost.

- By SAM VOLPE Health reporter

Linda Conlon introduces Queen Elizabeth II to schoolchildren at the official opening of the Centre for Life in 2000

Linda Conlon, longstanding chief executive at the Centre for Life, spoke to The Chronicle about a new campaign pushing for politicians to intervene and support science centres which face “rising costs and falling income’

The issue is one taken up by the Association of Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) - which represents venues including the Centre for Life. Other facilities which are part of the ASDC include Kielder Observatory and the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Due to the way funding pots are allocated - and because these centres aren't traditional museums with, for example, the historic collections that somewhere like the Science Museum in London has - there is no publicly-administered funding pot they can apply to.

Linda explained that, at a time when science and technology was driving social change like never before - think artificial intelligence, genomic medicine, and automation to name but three areas - it is all the more important to ensure that places such as the Centre for Life can continue work educating the next generation of scientists.