Botanics backtrack on fees

Published on Thursday 11 November 2010 13:02

THE boss of the Botanic Gardens has ruled out the introduction of an entrance fee for the visitor attraction, despite it facing huge cuts to its budget.

Professor Stephen Blackmore, Regius Keeper at the gardens, said there was "no prospect" of charges being introduced in the short term.

His comments appear to backtrack on earlier remarks where he said a 5 visitor charge would be "reasonable".

Prof Blackmore said he thought it was unlikely the Scottish Government would sanction the move.

He said: "There's been a long-standing tradition that the garden has been free. We fully understand why ministers want to keep it that way. We're not really anticipating that there will be a change.

"The point I was making was that a charge of 5 would be excellent value for money for visitors, but I understand that a lot of people in Edinburgh would be concerned about that.

"I was talking in general terms about the charging issue. There's no prospect of a charge in the short term."

The Botanics is expected to reduce opening hours and shed jobs after being warned it could be hit with a budget cut of more than 2 million.

The most drastic savings in the gardens' recent history are being considered after civil servants warned the charitable body that runs the Botanics to prepare for a cut of up to 25 per cent over three years.

The 8.8m grant it gets from a Scottish Government agency represents almost three quarters of its income.

Managers are to try to retain as many of the workforce as possible amid fears that the loss of researchers, scientists and horticulturists would damage its global reputation.

Former Lord Provost Lesley Hinds, councillor for Inverleith, said she believed Prof Blackmore had been attempting to gauge public reaction to the introduction of visitor charges.

She said: "I'm absolutely delighted they're now backtracking, but they were obviously flying a kite to see what public opinion would be.

"I would encourage the public to keep informing the Botanics that charging would not be appropriate.

"Once they start charging, it will just continue to go up."

Britain's second-oldest botanic gardens, the attraction has been based at Inverleith since 1820, having started life as a "physic garden" in Holyrood Park in 1670.

Visitor numbers have soared by about a third this year, to more than 600,000 since the opening of a flagship 16m visitor centre.

A spokeswoman for the gardens confirmed that charges to enter the Botanics' glasshouses would remain at 4 next year.