Birmingham’s Opus restaurant is urging diners to chip in towards the extra £1.7 million needed to ensure the Staffordshire Hoarde is properly conserved when it comes to the Midlands.

The move follows the announcement that the £3.3 million collection – the largest ever find of Anglo-Saxon gold – has been “saved for the nation” thanks to donations from the public, cash from Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent city councils as well as a £1.2 million grant from the Government.

But The Art Fund, the charity which oversaw the nationwide fund-raising campaign, has said that a further £1.7 million must be found so the hoard can be properly conserved, studied and displayed when it comes to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent.

Opus, which is a corporate patron of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, is asking diners to fill out a special form when they visit the restaurant to pledge their cash to help out.

Rita McLean, head of Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, said: “I am delighted that Opus Restaurant is supporting the fund-raising campaign that will enable museums throughout the region to fully tell the story of the hoard. We need to raise a further £1.7 million which will allow for conservation and research work, as well as displays throughout the region.

“Events, such as those being organised by Opus, will help us to reach that target.”

Ann Tonks, director at Opus, said: “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.”