English Heritage chief steps down after overseeing controversial cost cuts
News of Nick Merriman's departure was welcomed by some heritage experts and others who had been adversely affected by his restructuring plans.
The Guardian reported in January that staff had been shocked to discover that the cash-strapped organisation was planning up to 200 redundancies – at least 7% of the workforce with curators believed to be particularly targeted – as well as the winter closure of various castles, abbeys and other historic sites in its care.
Under the cuts, 22 sites were to become 'hidden gems', with limited openings, while experts across the organisation would be made redundant or offered lesser roles on reduced pay.
One source said of Merriman's departure: 'Very good people have been forced out. Of those who've survived, nobody seems happy about the results of the restructuring.'
However, the chair of the trustees, Lord Lemos, said in an official statement to staff: 'I am sorry to say that Nick has requested to step down from his role as chief executive for personal reasons relating to family health. The Board has agreed to his request, which will take place with immediate effect. The Board would like to thank Nick for everything he has done.'
He added: 'Since February 2024, Nick has led English Heritage through a challenging time, during which he has overseen a major change programme aimed at delivering financial sustainability.'
English Heritage cares for more than 400 historic monuments, buildings and sites. As the charity no longer receives a government grant, it relies on membership, tickets and sales in its shops and cafes. It has about 5,000 volunteers.
Its attempts to restructure itself to cut costs descended into chaos earlier this year. Everything was meant to have been in place by April, yet staff were still unclear about the plans weeks later, while hearing that several consultants had been taken on – no doubt on hefty fees, they assumed.
One insider spoke in April of their dismay over when or how they would be selected for vacancies: 'People who were the sole candidate in selection pools have been forced to have interviews – and then told they don't have the job without any proper reason being given. A case study of how not to do a reorganisation.'
On Tuesday, they spoke of the way in which people had been made redundant: 'There's lingering bitter resentments, both from the people who've left and the people who survived.'
In April English Heritage defended the cuts, saying: 'The aim of these proposals is to ensure that English Heritage is financially resilient and can fulfil our charitable purposes. We're committed to working with our employees and our trade unions to find ways to avoid and reduce redundancies where we can.'
Some staff also felt that Merriman seemed to have moved the organisation away from its core role. One insider said: 'That responsibility is looking after pre-modern monuments. But he never seemed to be especially interested in that.'
Another source said: 'There's been a lot of gossip about how much of this was driven by Nick Merriman and how much came from the trustees.'
Another added: 'Everyone thinks he's been pushed possibly by the trustees. Apparently they lost faith a while ago.'
The trustees have asked Geoff Parkin to serve as interim chief executive. He has worked with English Heritage, on a pro bono basis over the last year, 'to craft a new commercial strategy, alongside acting as non-executive chair of two private equity backed travel businesses', Lemos noted.
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