Despite the news that the £3.3m needed to save the Staffordshire Hoard for the Midlands has now been raised, Birmingham’s Opus restaurant is urging diners to pledge towards the £1.7m required for the final phase of the campaign.

Situated at the heart of the Colmore Business District, Opus has long been established as a key player in the local community. As the first corporate patron of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Opus is a champion of the city’s arts and culture scene. With £1.7m still needed to conserve, study and display the collection, diners will have the opportunity to back the campaign through a bespoke pledge form available at the restaurant.

In order to unlock the secrets of Anglo- Saxon Britain, research and conservation work must be undertaken as part of the final phase of the campaign. In addition, the funding will allow members of the public from far and wide to visit and enjoy the hoard in its place of discovery, and will be put towards specialist exhibition space across the region.

“supporting the city is important if we are to create a prosperous, dynamic and sustainable future for the region”

Ann Tonks, Director at Opus, explained: “Collaboration is a key part of our ethos at Opus. Whether we are talking to our suppliers to get hold of the freshest and best quality produce, or training the next generation of chefs at UCB’s College of Food, partnerships are an integral part of our operations.

“As an independent restaurant, we recognise the importance of working with the wider community. From my position on the Board of the Colmore BID to David’s as Visiting Professor and Honourary Fellow at University College Birmingham, we believe that getting involved and supporting the city is important if we are to create a prosperous, dynamic and sustainable future for the region. There is no doubt that the arts are an incredibly important part of this.

“The hoard is of huge significance to Britain, and like so many others, we felt strongly that bringing the treasure back to the Midlands was essential to protect the heritage of this area.  The queues of people who came to visit the hoard are testament to the incredible amount of interest and support people across the region have given to this archaeological treasure, and we would urge supporters of the campaign to visit the restaurant and pledge their donations here.”

The campaign to save the Staffordshire Hoard was launched to raise enough money to keep the collection in the West Midlands.  The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery will jointly acquire the entire hoard, now that the target amount of £3.3m has been successfully raised.

The campaign was led by independent charity The Art Fund. Contributors include the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Birmingham and Stoke City Councils and other local councils in the West Midlands, trusts and foundations, and members of the public. In total, £900,000 came in from public donations. The remaining £1.7m will ensure the hoard is preserved, studied and displayed for the benefit of future generations.

Opus Restaurant is situated on Cornwall Street in Birmingham’s Colmore Business District. For more information about Opus and to support the campaign call 0121 200 2323. opusrestaurant.co.uk.