Northallerton boasts a fine range of amenities - as befits a county town.

But one facility sadly lacking has been any form of town museum or heritage centre. Now there is an opportunity to create one through the purchase of suitably historic and well-located premises.

A public meeting to discuss the issue was commendably well-attended this week. There is clearly no lack of enthusiasm for the project and it is understood there is a wealth of material currently in private hands which could find a suitable home there.

Coincidentally, the plans for Northallerton's museum have re-surfaced at the same time as the National Army Museum unveiled its rather more grandiose scheme for its northern outpost at Catterick, beside the A1.

The scale of the plans may be entirely different but the Northallerton museum supporters can learn from the Catterick project's leaders. Last week, in outlining their plans, they stressed that the Catterick museum would not be traditional in style. There will not be endless glass-topped cases full of medals and uniforms. Displays will be interactive allowing visitors to experience the environments in which the military equipment was used.

This is the modern style of museum, perhaps best seen at the Royal Armouries in Leeds which, although it has its quota of traditional displays, allows visitors to handle many of the exhibits.

We wish the Northallerton museum promoters good luck with their ambitious plans to purchase the building they have in mind and hope that they can be as imaginative as and when they reach the stage of deciding how best to reflect the extensive and fascinating history of the county town.