News: Job cuts warning from Wentworth Woodhouse CEO
A report highlighting how the cost of living crisis is impacting on England's heritage sector has revealed that the winter of 2024/25 poses "some very real threats" to the survival of Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham.
Saved by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) in 2017, the charity that runs the Grade I listed mansion has not wanted to pass rising costs on to its visitors and has posted a financial loss that is "unsustainable in the longer term."
"On The Brink: Heritage in the Cost of Living Crisis" is an insight report from the Heritage Alliance, England’s largest coalition of heritage interests. It looks at the economic pressures on the sector and the case for further investment, concluding that "the risk of collapse is real – and in many cases, literal."
Described as the most exciting and challenging heritage project of a generation, the projects at Wentworth Woodhouse will take up to two decades to deliver and will cost over £150m. With a focus on delivering high quality, creative and relevant visitor experiences, millions has been secured to repair parts of the building and adapt spaces for new uses, including new dining and events spaces. A big part of the regeneration is the training, work experience, and job opportunities created for the local area.
Opening to the public, visitors have been able to experience house tours, nature walks, craft workshops, educational talks, theatre performances, and music festivals.
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The report states that Wentworth Woodhouse "relies heavily on the local community to visit regularly and generate secondary spend. However, Rotherham has been badly impacted by the cost of living crisis, with inflation straining household budgets. As families face difficult choices, cultural visits are increasingly viewed as a non-essential luxury."
Increases in the minimum wage, costs for power, heating, and lighting has seen overall running costs at Wentworth increase from £2.339m (year end March 2023) to £2.962m (year end March 2024); an increase of approximately 26%.
In the report, Sarah McLeod, CEO of WWPT, said: "We have not been able to pass these cost increase on to our visitors – an audience who are already cutting back on their spending. Instead, the Trust has been seeking imaginative ways of trying to bridge the funding gap whilst continuing to provide a much-needed community facility.
"After the last year (2023/24), we will post our first financial loss since our inception in 2014. The loss is substantial – circa £250k – and at a level which is unsustainable in the longer term, as we have no endowment.
“We are confident that we can survive the summer, as we are entering our busiest time of year, but the sad reality is that the winter of 2024/25 poses some very real threats to our survival. If the economic situation does not improve, then in September 2024 we may well need to make severe cuts to our services, workforce, and ability to deliver for our local communities.”
Wentworth Woodhouse website
Images: WWPT
Saved by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust (WWPT) in 2017, the charity that runs the Grade I listed mansion has not wanted to pass rising costs on to its visitors and has posted a financial loss that is "unsustainable in the longer term."
"On The Brink: Heritage in the Cost of Living Crisis" is an insight report from the Heritage Alliance, England’s largest coalition of heritage interests. It looks at the economic pressures on the sector and the case for further investment, concluding that "the risk of collapse is real – and in many cases, literal."
Described as the most exciting and challenging heritage project of a generation, the projects at Wentworth Woodhouse will take up to two decades to deliver and will cost over £150m. With a focus on delivering high quality, creative and relevant visitor experiences, millions has been secured to repair parts of the building and adapt spaces for new uses, including new dining and events spaces. A big part of the regeneration is the training, work experience, and job opportunities created for the local area.
Opening to the public, visitors have been able to experience house tours, nature walks, craft workshops, educational talks, theatre performances, and music festivals.
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The report states that Wentworth Woodhouse "relies heavily on the local community to visit regularly and generate secondary spend. However, Rotherham has been badly impacted by the cost of living crisis, with inflation straining household budgets. As families face difficult choices, cultural visits are increasingly viewed as a non-essential luxury."
Increases in the minimum wage, costs for power, heating, and lighting has seen overall running costs at Wentworth increase from £2.339m (year end March 2023) to £2.962m (year end March 2024); an increase of approximately 26%.
In the report, Sarah McLeod, CEO of WWPT, said: "We have not been able to pass these cost increase on to our visitors – an audience who are already cutting back on their spending. Instead, the Trust has been seeking imaginative ways of trying to bridge the funding gap whilst continuing to provide a much-needed community facility.
"After the last year (2023/24), we will post our first financial loss since our inception in 2014. The loss is substantial – circa £250k – and at a level which is unsustainable in the longer term, as we have no endowment.
“We are confident that we can survive the summer, as we are entering our busiest time of year, but the sad reality is that the winter of 2024/25 poses some very real threats to our survival. If the economic situation does not improve, then in September 2024 we may well need to make severe cuts to our services, workforce, and ability to deliver for our local communities.”
Wentworth Woodhouse website
Images: WWPT
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