The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Funding crisis could shut tourist hotspots
PERTHSHIRE: National Trust for Scotland warns 429 staff they face redundancy
Some of Perthshire’s best loved tourist spots are under threat as the National Trust for Scotland faces a multi-million-pound battle for survival.
The conservation group, which looks after Branklyn Garden in Perth, the historic Killiecrankie battleground and the popular walking destination the Hermitage, predicts it could lose nearly 50% of its projected income this year.
With sites shut to the public, the NTS has put 429 staff at risk of redundancy.
The trust – which owns 130 properties and 180,000 acres – said its income, from sources like admission fees, is forecast to drop by £28 million this year and could fall again in 2021 even if lockdown measures are relaxed.
Chief executive Simon Skinner said: “The extreme and unprecedented public health emergency has put the charity’s future in doubt.”
More than 420 staff at National Trust for Scotland (NTS) are at risk of redundancy as the charity faces a £28 million loss due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The conservation charity has launched a “radical” series of emergency actions designed to ensure its survival and to protect the “birthright of generations yet to come”.
As well as placing 429 staff in its permanent workforce at risk of redundancy, it will approach grant-giving bodies and the Scottish Government for financial support and seek to sell non-heritage land and property.
The trust, which cares for places such as Culloden, Branklyn Garden in Perth, JM Barrie’s birthplace in Kirriemuir and the old Killiecrankie battleground near Pitlochry, said its income has been virtually eradicated during what is normally the busiest period for membership recruitment and property visits.
Its estate and holiday accommodation has been closed since March to comply with lockdown restrictions.
NTS said its income from all sources is forecast to collapse by £28m this year and to fall again in 2021 even if current restrictions are relaxed, while this does not include estimated investment losses of £46m due to stock market conditions.
Chief executive Simon Skinner said: “The extreme and unprecedented public health emergency has put the charity’s future in doubt.
“This is despite us running the trust in a financially prudent way, building up our reserves and latterly taking critical decisions at the outset of this crisis, reducingourexpendituretoaminimum, foregoing the recruitment of seasonal staff, terminating temporary and fixedterm contracts and furloughing a large proportion of our permanent staff.”
He said: “With some level of restrictions likely to apply postlockdown and having effectively missed the busiest part of the visitor season, I see little prospect of us being able to return to more normal levels of membership, visitation and income for the rest of this year and beyond.
“Even after we’ve done all we can to stave off the worst, it’s crystal clear that we need radical action.”
He said that as well as the 429 posts, a further review of back office functions is under way, meaning more jobs could be at risk.
Staff were told the news yesterday and NTS is opening a formal consultation with trade union Prospect.
Mr Skinner said although there are support schemes in place for charities and businesses, NTS either does not qualify for them or the scale of support is too limited.
The trust, which has 751 employees, plans to scale back its offering based on the possibility of a staged reopening of 27 key properties this year on a limited basis.