Job cuts loom at popular Scottish attraction as centre's future 'at risk'

Jobs could be axed at a leading Glasgow attraction, with warnings the facility’s future will be at risk “without meaningful change”.

Managers at Glasgow Science Centre are weighing up the need for potential redundancies as they deal with “increased financial pressures” in the wake of the Covid pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The Glasgow Science Centre, where the event will take place | Glasgow Life

Staff at the Pacific Quay site have been told their jobs are at risk.

Operating losses of £773,000 have been confirmed, with an email sent to staff earlier this week warning the managing charity’s financial state had “further deteriorated” in recent months.

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However, centre managers are reportedly bracing for a deficit of more than £1 million over the next three years.

Science Centre chief executive Dr Stephen Breslin said in the email: “Without meaningful change to our company-wide operations, our longer-term financial sustainability is at risk.”

The attraction employs about 100 full-time and 40 part-time staff.

The Glasgow Science Centre, which was opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2001, boasts the 127m-high Glasgow Tower and an IMAX cinema. The venue is one of the city’s most-visited paid attractions. A total of 350,441 visitors used the centre in 2023 - up 24.2 per cent on the previous year.

A Glasgow Science Centre spokesman said the attraction had been dealing with "increased financial challenges".

"We are currently going through a reorganisation process to address the difficult financial situation we face,” the spokesman said.

"This includes looking at additional income generation, redeployment, restriction of recruitment, and potential redundancies. This is a difficult time for our organisation, and we recognise that staff will be understandably concerned."