Union backs campaign to save Peak District National Park visitor centres - ahead of a crunch meeting

PDNPA launched an operational review earlier this year in an attempt to cut costs, and as part of that process tabled options to lay off staff and shut the four visitor centres in Bakewell, Castleton, Edale and the Upper Derwent at Fairholmes.

The results of the review are due to be presented to members of the authority on Friday, April 28, amid significant pushback from the public.

The latest organisation to enter the fray is UNISON, who on Wednesday, April 19, said the proposals would have a devastating effect not just on the staff facing redundancy but also the local economy.

Dave Gorton, the union’s area organiser for Derbyshire, said: “Of course we want to save the jobs of around 30 people faced with redundancy but UNISON also protects public services and this plan does the opposite.

“If the centres close, it will have a potential impact on visitor footfall into the Peak District, on the safety of those who do visit and, we fear, it may well affect most those already marginalised in society. Some of those with disabilities and the elderly who visit the area for the scenery and splendour rather than long walks will be severely disadvantaged without the visitor centres.”

He added: “In the last year the visitor centres dealt directly with over 400,000 people. The centres stock locally made goods and craft. They encourage visitors to use local services. But they are not just shops! They protect visitors as well as the National Park itself with safety advice, helping prevent fires and protecting nesting birds.

“The idea these services can be replaced with some type of ‘digital information point’ providing the same level of service is nonsense.”

The union has written to the authority’s members in an attempt to ensure staff’s views are fully accounted for in next week’s decision.

Dave said: “The government has recently allocated an extra £440,000 to each English national park, in their words, ‘to support services such as visitor centres and park rangers. The funding award is in recognition of the vital role that our national parks play in protecting our precious wildlife and landscapes and the importance they have for tourism, the regional economy, and public access.’ Where is the Peak District authority going to spend this money?

“The chief executive, appointed just last September, wants to use the savings made by closing the centres in a restructure which will see better wages paid to (some) staff. UNISON has previously raised the issue of low pay within the authority and, of course, we want better pay for our members. But we will not trade off pay for jobs.

“Our members deserve better. The Peak District deserves better. And all those who we encourage to come to the Peak District need better. We will continue our campaign to save the visitor centres.”

The union has launched a petition to save the visitor centres, adding to ones already set up by residents. For details, see change.org/Save_Our_Visitor_Centres.

A PDNPA spokesperson said they would not be making any further comment ahead of the meeting.

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