The Chamber of Silves is going to request an urgent meeting of the main shareholder of Fábrica do Inglês, Grupo Nogueira, to discuss the possible future of this complex and, in particular, the situation of the Cork Museum, which has been closed for four years.
The information was given to the Sul Informação by the mayor Rogério Pinto who, this afternoon, with the former director of the Museum and members of the council, visited the Fábrica do Inglês, after the denunciations made by the former head of the museum structure that the complex has been the target of thefts, vandalism and looting, even endangering the machinery and other equipment still inside.
Manuel Castelo Ramos, former director of the Cork Museum, filed a criminal complaint on Monday for the continued theft in the old Fábrica do Inglês space. This Wednesday, experts from the GNR were at the scene to collect evidence of the crimes.
The Fábrica do Inglês complex, which includes the Museum, has been closed since 2009, when the group that then owned the largest single share of the company's capital, Alicoop/Alisuper (28%), filed for insolvency. These companies were purchased last year by the Walnut Group, but the attention of this business group from the Douro region has so far focused on the reopening of the Alisuper supermarket chain.
Rogério Pinto, mayor of Silves, revealed to Sul Informação having already held a meeting with those responsible for Grupo Nogueira, "a few months ago", during which he was told that the group "has no vocation to manage a complex with the valences of Fábrica do Inglês".
Furthermore, this former entertainment, restoration and museum complex is subject to numerous liens, with the largest creditors being some banks, in particular Caixa Geral de Depósitos. A part of the complex, the tent and cyber fountain area, was placed in public auction for Finances last year, due to the lack of payment of the IMI, having been bought by CGD itself. The value of the public auction was around one million euros, but the actual amount involved in the purchase is unknown.
In the midst of all this imbroglio, the Silves Chamber confesses itself "with its hands a little tied", as Rogério Pinto admits, who guarantees that there is "a long way to go to try to solve the problem".
Copper and metals stolen from Fábrica do Inglês
While the impasse remains, Fábrica do Inglês has been the target of theft and vandalism. According to Manuel Castelo Ramos, copper, as well as parts and components of existing equipment in the complex, has already been stolen, making the electrical installation inoperable.
"They have already taken computers, water heaters and other machines from here, and they have dismantled the beer and tobacco machines to remove parts," he laments, fearing that the loot could now be turned to the museum.
«From the traces I have already found there, I know that they have already entered the museum, but so far they have not stolen or destroyed anything. But it can happen at any time! And I've already warned the City Council, the GNR, the Nogueira Group that, later, if any disgrace happens here and the museum's assets are destroyed, they won't be well seen in the eyes of public opinion».
Due to the closing of the museum and its abandonment, which is only incomplete because Manuel Ramos, even without earning a cent from it, continues to visit the building regularly, last year the historical archive of the old cork factory had already been transferred to the District Archive of Faro.
But the remaining assets, namely machines unique in the world and other equipment that date back to the period when Silves was the national capital of the cork industry, remain there.
The XNUMXth-century building that houses the Museum, in the northern part of the Fábrica do Inglês complex, is deteriorating. In November, the tornado that swept through Silves tore off part of the roof and, although the City Council sent personnel to replace some of the tiles, the many broken tiles were not replaced.
“There is an area of about 25 square meters that remains unroofed. For now, it hasn't rained inside, but the degradation is advancing», warns Manuel Castelo Ramos.
Award-winning museum now at risk of looting
The Cork Museum of Silves, which was considered the most important museum dedicated to this industry in Portugal, won, in 2001, the Michelleti prize for the best industrial museum in Europe.
Last week, at the request of Retecork, which organizes the «II Meeting of Museums and Cork Interpretation Centers», Manuel Ramos sent a message to the participants, launching «a warning cry, terrible to do, but true. At this precise moment, the looting of the Fábrica do Inglês, closed and abandoned, began. First the copper, which is valuable, but soon the machinery will also be vandalized. Very important machinery, and in several cases unique, on the history of cork industrialization».
As long as the stalemate at Fábrica do Inglês remains, only chance can save the Cork Museum of Silves from an end even sadder than its current situation.
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