NTS staff at Glenfinnan and Glencoe facing jobs threat

Glenfinnan and Glencoe are on a list of 27 National Trust for Scotland (NTS) sites which the charity has prioritised for possible phased re-opening, hopefully later this year, once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

However, of the 23 members of trust staff split between the two properties, 11 of them are at risk of losing their jobs through redundancy as the trust struggles to cope with a huge slump in income.

A total of 429 permanent trust staff from the 751-strong workforce employed across its portfolio of properties face losing their jobs.

The charity said it is opening a formal consultation process which involves its recognised trade union, Prospect, and is preparing to launch an emergency fundraising appeal.

It is also approaching grant-giving bodies and the Scottish Government for support, while looking to sell non-heritage land and property. The trust’s total charitable income is forecast to collapse by £28 million this year and to fall again in 2021 even if restrictions are relaxed. This does not include estimated investment losses of £46 million.

Trust Chief Executive Simon Skinner said with some level of restrictions likely to apply post-lockdown, and having effectively missed the busiest part of the visitor season, he sees little prospect of the trust 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 clear we need radical action to give the trust space to overcome income loss and economic conditions,’ said Mr Skinner. ‘Postlockdown, we plan to scale back our current offering to match the anticipated restrictions that will remain. We propose to initially focus on the safe, phased re-opening of a core of 27 built heritage properties around Scotland, primarily those best able to accommodate social distancing.

‘The remainder will be placed on a care and maintenance basis. Our countryside properties will open when restrictions lift.

‘The sad consequence of this is that we must make a cut to our workforce. We’ve therefore made the toughest of all decisions in placing 429 colleagues at the risk of redundancy.

‘Some people may not care a charity is in trouble or see heritage as having little importance just now – but if the trust goes down then what will be lost will impoverish Scotland forever.’

Prospect negotiator David Avery said the news was a huge blow to NTS workers who are extremely worried about their futures, adding: ‘We will do all we can to support members and argue strongly for their jobs.’

‘The sad consequence of this is that we must cut our workforce.’