Rosslyn back down to earth as Da Vinci effect fades

Published on Thursday 18 December 2008 20:38

ROSSLYN Chapel Trust, which cares for the historic church featured in the Da Vinci Code, has reported a drop in its financial surplus.

As the number of visitors attracted by the success of Dan Brown's novel – and the ensuing film – fell away, the amount the trust has made has declined.

Accounts filed with Companies House revealed that the trust's surplus in the year to 31 March stood at 588,000, down from 850,000 in the previous year.

Rosslyn Chapel Trading – the trust's trading subsidiary, which runs a gift shop and tea room – reported turnover of 517,000, down by 42,000 on 2007.

The trading company returned a profit of 271,000, which was paid to the trust.

According to the trust, the number of visitors flocking to the Midlothian chapel had risen dramatically since 2004, peaking at 176,000 in the year to 31 March 2007. In the following year the number fell to 160,000, and the trustees expect visitor numbers to settle at 80,000 a year in the long term.