Derby Museums has secured a community partner in order to help towards the reopening of the ground floor at the city's Silk Mill, which was mothballed earlier this month.

The attraction closed its doors for a two-year period in an attempt to save around £200,000 each year, which will be re-invested back into Derby's museums and heritage sites. However, Derby Museums is working to bring the Silk Mill's ground floor area back into use as soon as possible. Proposals include developing a café and a shop.

Business director Hannah Fox will now work alongside the museums body on the scheme, which aims to make the attraction more sustainable. Fox said: "The Silk Mill is a beautiful and important building and there is real potential to develop an environment where people can meet, collaborate, and contribute their own stories of community and life."