English Heritage, the charity responsible for preserving hundreds of historical sites across England, is facing a significant restructuring that will lead to site closures, reduced opening hours, and potential job losses. This drastic move is driven by a confluence of factors, including changing visitor patterns post-pandemic, the rising cost of living impacting both visitors and operational expenses, and escalating conservation costs due to inflation. The changes are slated to be implemented in April 2024, pending a formal consultation period.
The restructuring will impact 43 sites in total. Twenty-one sites will be completely closed during the winter months, a measure aimed at reducing operational costs during a period of traditionally lower visitor numbers. These closures affect sites such as Lullingstone Roman Villa in Kent, Totnes Castle in Devon, and Furness Abbey in Cumbria. An additional 22 sites will experience reduced operating hours, effectively transforming them into “hidden gems” accessible to a smaller, more dedicated audience. Ranger’s House in Greenwich, a filming location for the popular Netflix series Bridgerton, is among those facing restricted access.
The most concerning aspect of the restructuring is the potential loss of up to 200 jobs, predominantly affecting curatorial staff. Internal sources have expressed deep concern about the handling of the situation, alleging a lack of transparency and fearing that experienced curators will be replaced with less qualified and lower-paid employees. This has created anxiety and uncertainty amongst staff, with reports of employees breaking down in tears during meetings about the restructuring. Trade unions representing the heritage sector, Prospect and PCS, have expressed their concerns about the job losses and the potential impact on the preservation of England’s historical sites. They emphasize the invaluable expertise of experienced staff and warn that losing this expertise would be as damaging as losing the sites themselves.
English Heritage maintains that these changes are necessary to ensure the charity’s long-term financial stability and ability to continue fulfilling its mission of preserving historical sites. The organization points to the dramatic changes in the post-pandemic landscape, including altered visitor behavior and the financial pressures faced by many potential visitors. The charity, no longer receiving government grants, relies heavily on memberships, ticket sales, and revenue from its shops to fund its operations. Rising inflation has exacerbated the situation, significantly increasing the cost of essential conservation work. English Heritage insists that substantial expenditure on conservation remains vital to prevent the deterioration of the sites under its care.
While acknowledging the need for restructuring, unions representing heritage sector workers are advocating for minimizing redundancies and preserving the expertise of experienced staff. They argue that skilled and dedicated employees are essential to the preservation of historical sites and that losing their expertise would have a detrimental impact on England’s heritage. Unions are working with English Heritage to explore alternatives to job cuts and mitigate the potential negative consequences of the restructuring.
English Heritage defends its proposed changes by citing low visitor numbers at certain sites during specific periods, such as one weekend in November where several sites only attracted 11 visitors. They emphasize that the reduced opening hours will predominantly affect sites with historically low winter attendance, minimizing the impact on the overall visitor experience. The charity also highlights that it will retain a team of over 75 expert curators, historians, and conservators, ensuring the continued professional management of its historic sites. The organization is committed to engaging with employees and trade unions during the consultation period to explore all options and mitigate the impact of the restructuring. The final plan will be determined after this consultation process.
