Jobs set to go at charity responsible for looking after Sir Walter Scott's former home at Abbotsford
'Restructure will help safeguard its future...'
One of the Scottish Borders biggest tourist attractions is set to pay off around a fifth of its staff.
It's claimed the move will help safeguard its future.
Trustees of Abbotsford House - the home of Sir Walter Scott - is predicting a £170,000 operating loss this financial year.
While free visits to its estate, near Galashiels, remain at record levels, it's emerged paying visits have yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
The Abbotsford Trust says it has been severely impacted by "unprecedented inflation" and the cost of living crisis, while the Labour government's recent changes to National Insurance contributions have also increased employment costs.
It's now in consultation with staff about making eight positions redundant - two of which are currently vacant.
A spokesperson said: "The costs of caring for Scott’s historic library and ancient artifacts, a historic house and gardens, offering school and community programmes, and maintaining a free to visit estate for the benefit of the local community is expensive, but very worthwhile.
"The Trust has always fundraised to cover a gap between running costs and income from customers.
"Unfortunately, the gap between running costs and income from paying visitors in 2024 proved too great to cover from fundraising alone, and the Trust estimates that in 2024 the charity will have made a loss of £170,000 on a turnover of £1.5m, drawing on all available reserves for the shortfall."
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The Trust says it has a duty to act so that Abbotsford can "continue to deliver its core charitable services".
And it's issuing a fundraising appeal to its supporters for help.
Chief Executive Giles Ingram said “Every coffee enjoyed, every gift bought, every parking ticket paid helps to support the charity. If you have not visited for a while, come when the house and gardens reopen on March 1st."
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