“About 80 percent of our income depends on the visitors. We have taken all possible measures to ensure the security of our financial situation, but we need to do more to survive in the long term. We simply have no other choice but to reduce payroll costs,” said John Barnes, Executive Director, Historic Royal Palaces, head of the tower.
As stated in the organization, never has the Beefeaters, whose body was formed by king Henry VII as much in 1485, were in a similar position.
While the cuts are on a voluntary basis – two of the 37 guards have already decided to leave the service. But, according to HRP, in a short time may be followed by forced layoffs. A couple of months without tourists the organization’s budget has missed 98 million pounds – and let recently, she again opened their palaces to visitors, this year analysts predict her income just 12 million pounds. Take for example the same tower because of the rules of social distance today, he could not admit more than thousand guests per day, although usually of a pandemic, it was visited by as many as 12 thousand people per day.
Recall that in the case of the Beefeaters, or as they are officially called, Joensuu Guards, dial a retired warrant officers with an impeccable track record and 22 years of service in the British armed forces behind. Originally, the Beefeaters watched prisoners of the tower and ensure the safety of stored in this crown jewels. Today, however, they drive on the tower tours themselves are the attraction.
