Visitors to some National Trust cafes could be forced to go without homemade scones as proposed job cuts are poised to hit kitchen staff.
The beloved British bakes could be shipped in from a central source rather than being freshly baked in cafe kitchens in less profitable venues, leaving customers fearing for the traditional treat’s quality, according to reports in The Times.
It comes as the Trust is set to axe around six per cent of its staff – approximately 550 jobs – in a bid to reduce costs and find £26m in savings. In a statement, the charity blamed the recent employer’s National Insurance increase and National Living Wage rise, which they said had added more than £10m to their annual wage bill. A spokesperson for the charity said the changes, if adopted, would affect just ten per cent of its cafes.
“The proposed changes would affect less than 10 per cent of our cafés, all of which are smaller outlets where rising costs are making it increasingly difficult to be financially sustainable,” they told The Independent. “We would still have food and drink available at these cafés, however, and in more than 90 per cent of our cafés there would be no change to what we offer.”
The charity, which cares for over 500 historic houses, gardens, castles, and natural spaces in the UK, previously said that it was struggling with rising costs, despite growing visitor numbers.
“To meet our aims and create a sustainable future for the organisation in a tough financial environment, our first step must be to ensure we are financially strong and properly resourced for the future,” they said. “Although demand and support for our work are growing with yearly increases in visitors and donations; increasing costs are outstripping this growth.”
The charity said that the proposed changes will enable it to “keep on caring for and championing our shared historic and natural environment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, long into the future”.
