A NEW chapter has un-folded at Eastleigh Museum where from Tuesday first-time history lovers will be able to relax and enjoy a cuppa.

The finishing touches were made to a small cafe area in a bid to make the entrance area of the town's museum more welcoming to visitors.

Designed to have an art deco theme, the coffee area is aimed at complementing display areas while at the same time reflecting Eastleigh's railway past.

According to the latest figures, only one in three of the nation's museums have a cafe.

Sue Tapliss, curator at Eastleigh Museum, said: "A nice cup of tea or coffee with biscuits and cake in pleasant surroundings are now an accepted part of the museum visit.

"In a town with a large number of pubs, cafes, restaurants and fast food takeaways you may wonder why Eastleigh needs another cafe. But we will have a unique setting and will provide quality service to our visitors."

Meanwhile, museum staff are busy preparing for a major display by local students which opens later this month.

The exhibition, Take Art, will feature the work of students of Eastleigh College's creative arts classes throughout the borough.

It forms part of the town museum's celebration of Museums and Galleries Month.

The theme of the exhibition is based on how the past has inspired the future and is linked to major turning points in history.

But competition to have artwork chosen for the exhibition was fierce.

Eastleigh College tutor Alyson Lomas said: "My students have really risen to the challenge and have produced very individual interesting pieces."

The exhibition opens on May 20 and admission is free.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.