Delight at rescue deal for centre
Cash lifeline means site will re-open
The future of the iconic Bannockburn visitor centre has been secured after its owners reversed a decision to close it until 2022.
The mothballing of the £9 million facility was part of a wide-ranging savings plan from the National Trust for Scotland as it attempted to plug a predicted £28 million funding gap brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the organisation announced yesterday that the visitor centre will now be re-opened “as soon as possible”, starting with the on-site cafe and shop.
NTS chiefs confirmed the U-turn on the centre’s future was made after it received an additional £3.8 million funding package from the Scottish Government which it says will allow it to reduce predicted redundancy numbers and re-open more attractions than first planned.
A planned 11 redundancies at the Bannockburn site will also no longer go ahead.
The news was hailed by delighted local politicians.
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford said: “This is a project close to my heart.
“NTS have listened to the concerns of people and have reversed their decision, which I welcome. The Bannockburn Centre is a hugely important part of the cultural offering of the Stirling area.
“I was involved in campaigning for its inception as it was clearly important to have a dedicated facility that marked a pivotal point in Scottish history. I am pleased that, thanks to additional Scottish Government funding, the centre will reopen next month.”
And Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer added: “As council leader, I made the commitment to working with all interested parties to make the reopening of the Bannockburn Centre a reality – and within the council, officers were exploring all options.
“Footfall into the Bannockburn Centre boosts tourism-related businesses right across the Stirling area, so it was crucial that we had it up and running normally again as soon as it is safe to do so. I’m pleased that a solution has been reached, with additional support funding, to bring the experience back to the area.”
It’s expected that the doors will be thrown open for the first time in September, with all elements of the centre barring the ‘game’ experience set to be restored.
The extra funding secured by NTS will mean that the number of redundancies expected across the organisation will be cut from 429 to 188, with most posts being cut set to be seasonal; and a total of 33 properties will now re-open this year instead of the planned 27.
The government cash adds to an extra £2.5 million donated by the public to an emergency appeal designed to save the charity from collapse.
NTS chief executive Phil Long said: “We were confronted by the worst crisis in our charity’s history and we had a very real fear that this history was about to end abruptly.
“The generous support from the Scottish Government, together with the inspiring number of donations made by many individuals, has diverted us away from that terrible outcome.
“My joy at this announcement is tempered by the fact that the effects of Covid-19 are so devastating that we’re still having to say goodbye to many friends and colleagues.
“I wish it were not so, but much to my regret redundancies are unavoidable, although this support has helped us to keep them to the absolute minimum possible.
“While many of the affected posts are seasonal, and staff would have been finishing up for the year in a matter of weeks, we have modified our redundancy policy.
“If the situation improves sufficiently next year and we are able to recruit again, former staff can apply for posts after six months without having to repay their redundancy money.
“Through our consultation process on our emergency measures we received sage advice from staff and Trust members, and especially from people in the Stirling area, on functions and expertise we needed to retain.
“As a result, we were able to come up with a resilient operating model that I’m confident will weather the aftermath of the Covid crisis.
“It has been a tough and demanding year so far, but I am glad that we have been able to begin the return to some form of normality.
“As we re-open properties we have been very busy ensuring that they are safe places to visit as we abide by the government guidelines designed to ensure the wellbeing of our welcome visitors and our volunteers and staff who I would also like to thank for their immense hard work and fortitude during this deeply concerning time.”
My joy is tempered by the fact that we’re still having to say goodbye to many colleagues