Garden staff spared chop

EDINBURGH'S Royal Botanic Garden has shelved plans to axe jobs and curtail conservation projects after securing an increase in funding.

Bosses at the garden, one of Scotland's leading visitor attractions, had warned the drastic measures would be needed because it faced a 25 per cent funding cut.

There was also speculation a 5 admission charge could be introduced. But now the garden has won a 600,000 increase in its annual grant from the Scottish Government, giving it a total of 11.9 million for next financial year, it was reported.