Unions have criticised plans by English Heritage to cut jobs and reduce the opening hours at some of its sites. The charity said it has been reviewing its structure and developed proposals that will allow it to meet the “opportunities and challenges” of the next few years from a position of strength.
English Heritage said it had not reviewed its structure for several years, during which time the pandemic and its aftermath have led to lasting changes 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 would see an estimated reduction of around 189 jobs – at least 7% of the current workforce. The statement added there were plans to reduce opening hours at around 10% of the charity’s 400-plus sites, adding: “In common with many of our sites already, 21 sites would close over our winter season – 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).
“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. We have started to consult with our staff and our unions on these proposals and nothing will be confirmed until after this formal consultation period.”
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.”
Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “As we enter collective consultations at English Heritage, our primary focus is on safeguarding jobs and ensuring that our members continue playing a key role in the vital task of preserving English history.
“Rather than focusing on cost-cutting measures, we urge the Government to work with trade unions to prioritise long-term investment in these underfunded and under-supported sectors. We believe that investing in this crucial workforce not only protects our past by building a sustainable future for the sector. It also creates massive opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and innovation.”