THE creation of a museum was the vision behind the Carpet Museum Trust in 1981, when former trustees, Kenneth Tomp-kinson and Charles Talbot, set about putting industrial Kidderminster on the map.

A suitable site was hard to find, however, and that problem, together with the economic difficulties faced by the carpet industry at the time, meant work on a museum made little headway during the 1980s.

But the initial vision of a permanent home never faltered and the trust was revived in 1997 under the direction of chairman, Richard Pugh-Cook.

Gaining momentum, the campaign also gathered impetus when the Friends of the Carpet Museum Trust - which runs Weaver's Loft in Church Street - was established in 2000. Six years on, the trust is looking at a potential site in Stour Vale Mill and the dream is coming closer to reality.

The history of the carpet industry in Kidderminster dates back to 1735 when, it is said, the first real carpet was woven in the town. The flat carpet - woven without a pile - became an instant success and was known as Kidderminster carpet. Interest soon accelerated in the town's carpet industry and, in turn, employment figures quickly rose to 3,500 during the 18th century.

As the years went by, manufacturers started investing more of their profits into new looms and loom shops.

Brussels carpet was introduced to the town in 1749, the first to be woven on simple hand looms with a raised pile surface.

Kidderminster established itself as a thriving industrial town but was hit in the 1980s when foreign imports affected the industry.

As carpet firms surveyed what was left of the industry, many manufacturers decided to sell up and consolidate their business away from the town centre. Some companies closed completely.

The winding down of the industry saddened many and there has been much enthusiasm to see the "golden era" revived, to ensure memories are not forgotten.

Chairman of the Friends of the Carpet Museum Trust, Melvyn Thompson, said: "I think the saddest part for me is that the carpet mills have gone from the town centre and many have been replaced by supermarkets.

"Take Sainsburys at Crossley Park, for instance and the former Brintons site, where Tesco is, in Weaver's Wharf.

"There once used to be 15,000 people employed in this industry and now there are around 1,500.

"We're saddened by this demise but I think people just accepted the inevitable."

Keen to see the creation of the museum, he added it would enable them to bring the old donated carpet machinery, together with archived pictures and documents, under one roof.

Chairman of the Carpet Museum Trust, Richard Pugh-Cook, said: "We've been greatly supported in our quest for a museum, both by the Friends of the Trust and former town employees who used to work in the carpet industry.

"We're still in the early stages but this is very good news for the town and we are hoping it will serve as a reminder of a golden era in Kidderminster."

To support the establishment of a carpet museum in the town, Wyre Forest residents are being urged to join the Friends of the Carpet Museum Trust.

For more information, call 01562 67077 or email mel@thompson.mail.freeuk.com