National Trust plans 1,200 job cuts due to coronavirus

The heritage charity said it had lost nearly £200 million during the lockdown, which forced the closure of its venues and shops, and led to the cancellation of months of events.

The 1,200 planned redundancies would affect around one-in-eight National Trust employees, and the charity said the job cuts would contribute to a saving of £100 million – around one-fifth of the charity's annual spend.

The trust's director general, Hilary McGrady, said the planned redundancies were "deeply upsetting" but unavoidable due to the charity being "hit very hard" by the effects of the pandemic.

"We are committed to supporting all of those affected," she added. “Sadly, we have no other course of action left open.

“In making these changes now, I am confident we will be well placed to face the challenges ahead, protecting the places that visitors love and ensuring our conservation work continues long into the future.”

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In Gwent, the trust manages Tredegar House, the grandiose former home of the wealthy Morgan family; and The Kymin roundhouse (pictured below) and naval temple in Monmouth, which has ties to Lord Nelson.

The National Trust, which has 5.6 million members in the UK, is also involved in conservation work near Abergavenny's Sugar Loaf and Skirrid mountains in the Brecon Beacons.

The Kymin roundhouse in Monmouth. Picture: South Wales Argus Camera Club member Adrian Mahagan

David Melding, Wales' shadow culture minister, called the planned redundancies "a serious blow" and urged the Welsh Government to support the charity.

“The National Trust is of immense importance to Wales, given its many hallmark sites employs a large number of people and attracts substantial tourism," he added.

“The charity desperately needs to make £100 million in savings because of Covid-19, according to reports. For that reason I implore the Welsh Labour-led Government to initiate dialogue with the charity on possible support to halt potential job losses."

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect – the union for National Trust workers – said the priority was minimising the number of redundancies, maximising voluntary redundancy and getting as good a deal as possible for those who lose their jobs.

“At the moment there are no plans for National Trust to close whole properties, but they are shutting ‘unprofitable’ shops and cafes and the worry is that it’s only a matter of time," he said.

“Once jobs are lost and assets are closed it is very hard to recover them."

Additional reporting by PA.