-
with highlights from
National Trust Annual Reports
Membership
&
visitor numbers
The
wet summer of 2007 impacted on many UK visitor attractions
and caused a knock-on effect on domestic holiday booking the following year.
The economic downturn in late 2008 saw a reversal of this trend with the new
financial environment having a positive effect on visitor numbers. The weakness
of the pound attracted more overseas visitors while domestic concerns gave rise
to the ‘Staycation’.
Visits to historic houses were further boosted by the ‘Downton
Effect’, following the runaway success of Downton
Abbey, and the Royal Wedding in 2011.
Between
2008/9 and 2011/12 National Trust membership rose 8% whereas
English
Heritage membership increased 67%.
Visitor numbers also increased at National Trust properties seeing a 31% rise.
This was in line with other visitor attractions like Chatsworth House also up
31% in the same period but well below places like Blenheim Palace up 53%.
‘Everything
we do is underpinned by a sound financial footing and we met our financial
targets’
National Trust 2011/12 Annual
Report
Property operating
costs up 38%. Defined benefit pension scheme liability up 109%
Source: National Trust Annual
Reports 2008/9 – 2011/12
Staff
numbers and costs
Average
number of regular employees up 7% with staff costs up 13%
The
numbers of full-time/regular employees whose pay including redundancy and
taxable benefits, which fell between the range £60,000 – £220,000, was up 71%
with cost up 57%
Source: National Trust Annual
Reports 2008/9 – 2011/12
Health
& safety and operational risk management
Conservation,
access and the visitor experience can be compromised by adopting an approach to
health and safety that is too risk-averse. We have adopted a sensible,
pragmatic and proportionate approach that balances risks and benefits. Our
approach aims to avoid unnecessary restrictions on access and to ensure that we
do not detract from people’s enjoyment and sense of freedom and adventure. In
2011, we are delighted to report a 13% reduction in the total number of
accidents. However, we have noted an increase of 30% in the number of more
serious accidents that needed to be reported to the enforcing authorities. This
takes us back to levels equivalent to 2008 and 2009….
Source: National Trust Annual
Report 2011/12
Petersham
Meadows under National Trust Management
In their
second season the National Trust significantly reduced both public access to
our meadows and the area available for grazing.
This disfigured the view from Richmond Hill, increased the level of
weeds and generated danger zones where object could lay undetected by herdsman or
volunteers.
The
temporary electric fence was in place for the whole season, the pregnant cows
and calves were under their normal weight when they left in November and the
herdsman struggled on reduced hours to complete the extra work created by
‘rotating the grazing’.
The
damaged milking parlour roof remained exposed to the record breaking summer
rain throughout the season. The second public meeting produced only one new
outcome; the External Affairs Consultant for the National Trust London and the
Southeast set-up a blog to keep locals up-to-date on plans for the Meadows.
Since the public meeting no entries have been made on the blog.
The
National Trust has conducted a grassland survey, a biodiversity survey, a
buildings survey and an archaeological survey of Petersham
Meadows. They also conducted an unproductive PR exercise to pacify local
objections to their management. Thoughts of recording an oral history were
likewise proposed by their out-of-touch local manager. For the first time in
living memory large agricultural equipment was used on the Meadows during the
school summer holidays.
Membership
of
the National Trust and visitor numbers are up due to external conditions. NT
finances need
to be brought under control and serious accidents are just as frequent even
under the new Operational Risk Team. The ‘Think Local’ strategy has produced
some contradictory outcomes. For more than a decade Studland
United Nudists have defended Studland from
the machinations of the National Trust. In contrast one of the National Trust
highlights of 2011/12 is the world-record for skinny dipping staged at Rhossili
beach. The Petersham herd
are considered too dangerous by the local National Trust manager. Just 65 miles
away people and cows with calves mix without restriction in Winchelsea.
The
majority of Petersham
residents and the local council are very unhappy with the management of our
Meadows and the low priority given to the welfare of the herd. The National
Trust seems very pleased with their performance and think local people just
don’t recognise the value of their contribution. It’s unfortunate that the
National Trust don’t recognise the valuable contribution made by the people of
Richmond, Petersham and
Ham in preserving the heritage of the area.
