Closing the Bannockburn visitor centre until 2022 would be a travesty
Support grows for attraction to be taken off NTS if they fail to reopen their doors next year
Plans to mothball Bannockburn Visitor Centre – which drew in more than 44,000 people last year – have been branded “a travesty” by a tour operator.
Local companies who rely on the tourist attraction have been left counting the cost after the National Trust for Scotland confirmed the site will be closed until 2022 because of financial hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
NTS said the £9 million centre – which hosted 44,148 visitors last year – was also to remain closed because of social distancing considerations.
But as tourism and hospitality businesses are set to be given the green light to start up next month, those who rely on the centre for a livelihood have been quick to condemn the plans.
One of those tourist businesses impacted is Heartland Travel, who have been in the town for eight years and run private tours to the site for history-hungry sightseers.
Partner David Hope told the Observer: “The shutting of the centre is a bit of a travesty really.
“The centre is a real asset to Bannockburn and to Scotland as a whole – so many people have a genuine interest in Bannockburn and in Robert the Bruce and people specifically ask to go there when they come for tours.
“It’s a great location and the staff are absolutely phenomenal and the interest is just growing with the Netflix film Outlaw King, which has turned even more people on to Robert the Bruce.
“There is huge interest in staycations this year and we saw that uptick in the domestic holiday market the minute the pin was pulled on being allowed to take bookings, but people are not going to be able to enjoy this significant site in Scotland’s history.
“I genuinely think there should be some conversation that if the site isn’t open in 2021, that it should be taken off NTS.”
It’s a position that is gaining more traction, with Bannockburn councillor Alasdair MacPherson claiming that he has been contacted by people interested in a community buyout of the site if NTS continue with their proposal to mothball the centre for two years.
The issue was also front and centre of a virtual meeting between local politicians and NTS management, with around 20 jobs based at the visitor centre also thought to be at risk.
Following the meeting, Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer offered council support to NTS in efforts to reopen the site sooner,
but expressed frustration that councillors had not been informed of the plans.
Councillor Farmer said: “The tourism sector is a major employer, and the Stirling area makes a significant cultural offering with key destinations such as the castle, the Wallace Monument and the Bannockburn Centre.
“Once it is safe to do so, these important attractions must be opened for business as they are crucial to the wider hospitalityrelated economy in Stirling.
“The Bannockburn Heritage Centre is not only important to the tourism offer of the area but plays an important educational role, that is why I was disappointed that there was no consultation with the council prior to the NTS’s plans becoming public knowledge.
“I said I would be happy to work with them to try to find solutions.”
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford added: “This proposed closure date will have had an impact on their drive to maintain membership numbers.
“In addition, greater consideration of the effect on the wider tourism economy of the Stirling area should have been given.
“I invested a lot of personal time in ensuring Scottish Government support of £5m went into the building of the centre and I will now work to ensure that the centre is reopened at the earliest possible date.
“The loss in heritage offering and jobs – including in the Countryside Ranger Service – would be devastating to individuals, communities, and to how we mark our historical culture.”