Union warns Bannockburn revamp risks losing experienced visitor-centre staff

# What happened

# Staff impact and union concerns Ten employees were identified as affected by the closure: six permanent staff and four seasonal workers. The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) says a consultation is under way and that staff will be redeployed "wherever possible." Prospect, the trade union representing workers at the site, disputes that current plans adequately protect staff roles and skills.

Prospect's negotiator Philip Brooks-Weaver says the union supports the overhaul in principle but questions whether staffing needs and required skills for the revamped centre have been fully considered. The union warns people who cannot secure alternative posts could face redundancy. Prospect argues that the site's staff possess institutional expertise that would be hard to replace and suggests temporary secondments as an alternative to permanent redeployment or redundancies.

# Practical risks identified Prospect highlights two concrete risks:

• The centre could reopen with upgraded facilities but without the experienced workforce necessary to operate them to current standards.
• Permanent redeployment of staff to other sites or dismissal could lead to permanent loss of specialized local knowledge and visitor-focused skills.

The union is participating in the NTS consultation to try to secure what it calls the "optimal outcome" for staff and the attraction.

# What NTS has said NTS confirmed it is consulting with staff and intends redeployment where possible. The organisation has been contacted for further comment by the reporting outlet but no additional statement is recorded in the supplied material.

# Why this matters for visitors and the site

# Options Prospect recommends

# Immediate next steps

• NTS continues consultation with affected staff.

# Bottom line The Bannockburn centre will get a significant upgrade, but the outcome for the people who run it is unresolved. The union warns that losing experienced staff risks weakening the centre's visitor offer even after the capital investment is completed. The consultation between NTS and staff/Prospect will determine whether the site retains its current operating expertise when it reopens.