English Heritage jobs: membership charity plans job cuts and reduced hours at sites like Stonehenge - news

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The plans could impact iconic sites, including one featured in Netflix’s Bridgerton 📉
  • English Heritage has revealed plans to cut 189 jobs and reduce hours at some of its 400+ sites
  • 22 sites will become ‘hidden gems,’ opening only on select days; 21 sites will close in winter
  • There are concerns over the loss of expertise as roles may be transferred to younger, lower-paid managers
  • The charity, which relies on membership and sales, is seeking financial resilience after pandemic impacts
  • Staff and unions are being consulted, with changes expected by April

A charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places has revealed plans to cut jobs and reduce opening hours at some of its sites.

English Heritage said that it has been reassessing its structure and has developed plans to position itself strongly for the "opportunities and challenges" ahead in the coming years.

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The charity added that it hasn't reviewed its structure in several years, and that the pandemic and its ongoing impact have caused lasting shifts in visitor expectations and behaviour.

A statement said: “High inflation has increased the cost of conservation work at our sites but significant and ongoing expenditure is still required if the condition of the sites in our care is not to deteriorate.

“Like many organisations, we are operating in a challenging environment and the aim of these proposals is to ensure that English Heritage is financially resilient and can fulfil our charitable purposes.”

The proposals aim to cut approximately 189 jobs; around 7% of the current workforce. The statement also mentioned plans to reduce opening hours at about 10% of the charity's more than 400 sites.

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(Photo: English Heritage)(Photo: English Heritage)
(Photo: English Heritage) | English Heritage

Which English Heritage sites could be affected?

As part of the cuts, 22 sites will become "hidden gems," opening only on select, limited days reports The Guardian.

These include significant properties like Ranger's House in Greenwich, London, a Georgian villa with a notable art collection, which featured in the Netflix series Bridgerton.

English Heritage said: “At 22 of our other smaller sites, we want to find different ways of sharing them with our visitors.

“This is because our usual way of opening isn’t necessarily suitable or sustainable at these sites, and for instance offering special guided tours, temporary exhibitions or partnering up with the local communities for special events will provide a richer experience than what we currently offer.”

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Additionally, 21 sites will be closed during the winter. These include Lullingstone Roman Villa in Kent, dating back to around AD100 and one of Britain's finest examples; Totnes Castle in Devon, built nearly 900 years ago during the Norman Conquest, likely by one of William the Conqueror’s commanders; and Furness Abbey in Cumbria, once the largest monastery in the north-west of England, founded in the 12th century.

The statement added: “The reality is that we welcome a tiny number of visitors to these particular sites when they are open at weekends during the winter months (for instance over one weekend in November, a number of these sites only welcomed 11 visitors).”

The charity said it has begun consulting with its staff and unions on the proposals, and no decisions will be made until a formal consultation period has concluded.

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We have reached out to English Heritage for comment, and will update this article as and when more information becomes available.

How will jobs be affected?

It’s been reported that staff haven’t been given a specific number on the exact number of job losses expected, but that the cuts will affect nearly every department.

A source told The Guardian that there could be around 150 full-time equivalent redundancies, potentially affecting up to 200 individuals. Staff believe that the new structure will be implemented by April.

There are also concerns about the loss of invaluable expertise, as experts may face redundancy or have their responsibilities shifted to a new layer of management.

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Curators are concerned that responsibilities for "collection management" and "interpretation" will be shifted to younger, less expensive "collection managers" brought in to oversee these tasks.

Steve Thomas, deputy general secretary of the Prospect union, said: “Staff at English Heritage will be understandably worried about their future after hearing this news, and worried about the future of the historic sites they work so hard to keep open to the public.

“We recognise that the financial situation is difficult, but it is also true that the skilled and dedicated staff who keep our history alive are the very heart of this organisation. Losing these skills and this experience would damage our heritage as much as losing the sites themselves.”

As a charity, English Heritage does not receive a government grant, instead relying on membership, ticket sales, and revenue from its shops and cafes. The organisation employs 2,535 staff and has over 5,000 volunteers.

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