The gratitude of the nation’s museums and galleries to the Art Fund charity which helps them buy works of art was demonstrated by the turnout to say farewell to its departing director David Barrie last night.

One of the big triumphs of his 17 years in charge was the campaign that triumphed with the national museums and galleries going free.

David has used his departure to flag up the dangers of the current economic crisis, raising the spectre of charges being re-introduced.

My colleague, Simon Jenkins, is among those who think that it should be the museums themselves that make that decision - not the Labour Government whose policy free admission was.

But, with respect, that misses the point. If you speak to gallery directors like Nicholas Serota at the Tate, they make clear that free admission works precisely because it is Government policy.

Otherwise admission charges would be the easiest of recourses to balance the books, particularly when sponsorship is harder to find and wealthy donors somewhat less wealthy due to the global downturn.

Free admission has been one of the indisputable glories of the last decade and visitors have shown they love it.

It will not be maintained across the range of institutions now covered unless it is policy - and it would be weasel words from any future Government to pretend otherwise.

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