A natural history museum is set to have its opening hours slashed.

Brighton and Hove City Council has put forward proposals to limit the public’s access to the Booth Museum.

The plans, which would see the building in Dyke Road, Brighton, open for only three-and-a-half days a week, are part of the local authority’s commitment to reduce its spending next year by nearly £8 million.

The museum, which was founded in 1874 to house Victorian ornithologist Edward Booth’s collection of stuffed British birds, is currently open to the public five-and-a-half days a week.

A council spokesman confirmed the new proposed opening hours were Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays 2pm to 5pm.

It would also mean the loss of one part-time member of staff and no more seasonal staff.

The council believes the reduction in opening hours would save £50,000 from next year’s budget.

The news follows on from plans to close the Brighton History Centre, which would see a small section of reference material relocated in the Jubilee Library and four posts scrapped.