The Eden Project is to cut around 80 jobs at its site near St Austell in Cornwall due to increased costs and declining attendance.
In a statement, the organisation said it is “initiating proactive measures” to ensure its “long-term economic stability”. Eden said it has “explored every option and will create a new structure as a result of considerable economic challenges”.
This involves reducing its payroll by around 20 percent, which is equivalent to about 80 redundancies, including 19 employees who opted to leave voluntarily.
The Eden Project’s redundancies are due to several factors, including “significantly increased costs to businesses” as the visitor economy in the South West declines.
“This process will set us on a path to continue our vital work as an environmental charity and a thriving visitor destination for our second quarter century and beyond,” the organisation said.
A consultation period lasting at least 45 days will now begin, said the Eden Project.
“Affected team members will be supported by the Members Assembly, the Eden Project’s staff representative body, and every effort will be made to minimise the number of job losses, with alternative roles or retraining offered where possible,” it added.
Visitor economy in South West decreasing
Bernard Donoghue, chief executive of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), told the BBC the news was “sad, but unsurprising”, and “fairly typical” of what other visitor attractions across the UK have been experiencing.
Despite the redundancies in Cornwall, Eden is going ahead with its new destination in Morecambe, Lancashire. The site is due to open for test events in 2026, with a full opening scheduled for spring 2027.
In October, the Eden Project unveiled a new urban oasis in Canary Wharf with floating gardens and aquatic habitats. It was created to serve as a blueprint for biodiversity and habitat gain for cities around the world.
Images courtesy of the Eden Project
