The University of Southampton has decided to close the Textile Conservation Centre. "It is understood that an endowment of £5 million could still save the centre". Read about the situation on Times Online and please sign this petition if you are a British citizen. As The Guardian points out The only comparable centre in Europe is in Switzerland.

The official website for the TCC is here and as it points out the Textile Conservation Centre is the leading international organisation in the field of textile conservation research, education and practice, it should be saved because our clothing and an incredible amount of textile design is not simply comparable to art but is art. Who will restore William Morris patterns, the Bayeux tapestry, the textiles of the royal palaces if no one has the skill to do so, should we just let every artistic industry die?