Abbotsford House Job Cuts Planned Amid Rising Costs and Fewer Visitors

Walter Scott built Abbotsford House, which sits near Melrose. The house holds his books and personal items. He built it from 1817 to 1825 on the River Tweed’s south bank.

The Abbotsford Trust faces pressures due to rising inflation and increased employer costs in October. The number of paying visitors has decreased. Consequently, they are considering job cuts, which might affect eight positions. A consultation about this is currently open.

Visits to the estate grounds are high, as these are free to the public. However, paying visits have not fully recovered and haven’t reached pre-pandemic numbers. The trust is responsible for caring for the library and gardens. Keeping the estate free comes at a significant cost.

The pandemic and the cost of living crisis have negatively impacted Abbotsford. The Trust reported a loss of £170,000 last year. This loss occurred with a turnover of £1.5 million.

Fundraising and income from paying guests helped to cover costs. The Trust also utilized all available reserves. They considered other options first, seeking new revenue streams and ways to lower costs before proceeding with job losses.

A smaller core staff will remain to protect key functions. This ensures the protection of charitable goals and prioritizing revenue generation.

In 2010, the house underwent repairs costing £12 million. During this time, items were cleaned and cataloged, with around 4500 objects handled. Additionally, crumbling stonework was repaired. Scott wrote famous works like “Waverley,” “Rob Roy,” and “Ivanhoe”. These books are considered Scottish classics.