Cogges Manor Farm Museum at Witney is slashing its season ticket prices in a bid to get more visitors through the gates.

It is the first definite move by the museum, which has been making losses of £250,000 a year, to find ways of becoming viable for the future.

Oxfordshire County Council, which owns the museum, confirmed yesterday that season prices for 2008 were being cut considerably.

The following have been agreed by the council, with last year's season ticket prices in brackets: adult £18 (£27.50), child £7.50 (£15), family £45 (£80), students and pensioners £15 (£18). Single visit tickets have been rounded up by small amounts: adult £6 (£5.70), child £2.50 (£2.45), family £15 (£14.50), concessions £5 (£4.85).

The aim is to get customer loyalty and community involvement from local people in the museum's future. Lorraine Horne, marketing and publicity manager, said: "Hopefully, more people will buy them and get us off to a good start to the season, with money in the bank.

"For local people, it is a really great offer. They will be able to make multiple visits throughout the season for a much lower cost."

Last year, the museum had 25,000 visitors through the gates, but only 150 season tickets were sold. The museum opens this year on March 22.