Campaigners lament closure of Otter Gallery at Chichester University

The gallery area, which also hosts workshops and talks, is to be converted into a careers facility with artworks redistributed across campuses.

Anne Purkiss, who set up a petition of 2,388 signatures opposing the change in May this year, said ‘disappointed was an understatement’ on facing the closure of the gallery from October 8.

She said: “It’s been a decision that’s been made in a very undemocratic way and there was no consultation and no offer of consultation.”

She and other campaigners are concerned the gallery will lose its status of being able to loan artworks from other collections.

The university spokesman has previously stated there was ‘lengthly’ consideration about the gallery space and the university had plans to display many more artworks across its Chichester and Bognor campuses, many of which had been in storage.