Cost-cutting move at RSPB’s Loch Garten reserve will close popular shop
The strath’s popular Loch Garten Nature Reserve is set to lose its shop early in the new year.
The move is part of a reported cut-back across the charity’s network of reserves.
The reserves won’t close but they are to lose their shops and cafes in a cost-cutting move.
The society as identified several target sites where facilities will reduced, with some even facing off-loading altogether in the near future.
This morning an RSPB Scotland spokesperson told the Strathy the RSPB had reviewed its operations on its reserves across the UK, “to ensure we focus our resources on having the biggest impact we can for nature.”
She explained:“There was a confidential and formal consultation process with affected staff along with informal feedback gathered from volunteers and some key groups of colleagues.
“The outcomes of this are now available and there will be a minor change in how we operate at Abernethy which concerns the retail operation only.”
The charity is now undertaking individual consultations with any affected staff across the UK.
“We would ask that their right to privacy and confidentiality as they go through this process be respected.”
But the society has confirmed the nature centre will be open for business as usual again in the spring.
“And we will use the retail space to host even more events like the recent Folk in the Forest music event.”
With economic pressures building across the board, the charity has confirmed that to deliver its programme two years ago it paid out £150 million, which at today’s costs was set to rise to £165 million.
In an earlier general statement the society announced that to ensure its longer-term sustainability a comprehensive review had been carried out across its operations, with emphasis on improvements and efficiencies.
Since the RSPB began 135 years ago, it has been “working to help create a world where wildlife and people can thrive.
“Today, thanks to the generosity of our members, supporters, partners, funders and volunteers, the RSPB is the UK’s leading charity for nature conservation.
“For this to continue for years to come, we will be even more focused on where this generous support can have the biggest impact - boosting numbers of birds and other wildlife, restoring the vital habitats they need, creating better nature havens for members to visit and bringing more people together who love birds and wildlife and who want to take action to restore the natural world.
“We are committed to keeping our members informed about these changes, and we will next update them in the RSPB Magazine in December.”
But some are critical of the cutback, among them Casey Dylan who writes: “There are only three RSPB shops in Scotland and lots of things you can’t buy online, including their awesome lens cloths, so that’s not an alternative option - especially as a lot of people like buying in the shop and paying cash.”
