The London Motor Museum has been handed a lifeline by a High Court judge.

The custom and classic car museum, in Nestles Avenue, Hayes, might have to close after Hillingdon Council slapped them with a £130,000 business rates bill, after stating that it did not meet the criteria for discretionary rates relief.

The museum argues that it is a Community Interest Company (CIC), and should therefore pay a reduced rate, but the council refused their bid earlier this year after considering their not-for-profit status and the benefits the museum brings to the community, and weighing this up with the cost of providing relief, met by the taxpayer.

Hillingdon Council issued a petition to Companies Court to wind up the business. Both parties were in court today (Monday), but the hearing was adjourned for a month.

Each side was told to prepare evidence to support their respective cases before a decision is made on whether the liability order should stand, giving the museum a stay of execution.

The museum's founder, Elo, told the Gazette that he was confident that he could demonstrate how the business benefits the community.

He added: "I treat this as a victory. The judge saw that we had an argument.

"The council now has to clarify its position, and show that the amount they say we owe outweighs what we do for the community.

"We are the only museum in the country that is not rate-free. We have shown that we are not pushovers, and we will fight this."

The number of people who have signed an online petition calling for the museum to be saved now exceeds 1,000 names, and the campaign has gained at least one high-profile supporter.

Former England footballer and TV personality Gary Lineker urged his 1.9m Twitter followers to support the museum's plight, and said it was 'way too good to lose.'

It has around 200 classic cars on display.

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is a past customer of the London Supercar Workshop, a vehicle customisation business which was once part of the museum and is an attraction in itself.

Elo says the council advised him to move the workshop, a business liable for full rates, to a separate premises to give the museum the best chance of getting rates relief, only to then be refused.

He said: "The council misled us when they told us we could gain rates relief if we moved the workshop, but then refused it because we didn't do enough for the community.

"We hold open days, offer our space for community meetings, invite local schools, and provide employment for local people, and we have proof of all of this. It would be a massive loss for the area, and we are confident we can convince the judge."

The crunch court hearing will take place at Companies Court, near Chancery Lane, on December 16.

Sign the online petition by visiting http://chn.ge/17VSvLY.