Sunday, March 29, 2020, 10:22 AM
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DOORWERTH –
There are major concerns among Gelders administrators and owners of castles and manors, almost all of which are closed to the public in connection with the corona virus. Nothing is earned anymore. That says the umbrella organization Castles, Country estates and Estates (SKBL).
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Spring with flowering gardens is normally the time when visitors flock, and an important part of the annual income is brought in. With the closing of the castles to the public, these incomes are disappearing everywhere and there is a serious problem of which it is not yet clear how this can be solved.
No alternatives
“We have to get it right this time of year,” said René Dessing, chairman of the SKBL. ‘There are almost 200 castles and country estates connected to us. A large part of this is located in Gelderland. Many of these castles have a museum function or include catering. But everything is locked and you have no alternatives. In the meantime, the maintenance of the castle and garden continues as usual. And also the personnel costs. ‘
Weddings, dinners and meetings are also canceled. In addition to the income from large numbers of visitors in the spring, these are lucrative events.
Disappointed brides and grooms
The Geldersch Landscape & Castles, which manages seven castles, also confirms the problems. The so-called museum castles of the organization are all closed anyway until June 1. They try to find new wedding dates with disappointed brides, while trying to map out the extent of the financial damage.
At many castles in Gelderland, part of the maintenance is done by volunteers. Not infrequently, these are at a somewhat older age and may no longer come because they fall into the risk category. The parks and gardens near the castles are also closed. The employees who provide the tours and educational programs are at home.
No freelancers and short-time working hours
According to the Federation for the Conservation of Monuments (FIM), many self-employed people are no longer employed at castles and short-time working hours are requested for staff such as curators and garden workers. “I don’t know how to proceed in the longer term,” says Dessing. ‘Precisely because this is an industry in which you really only need it from the public. There are initiatives with online viewing, but that is very small and does not yield anything. ‘
According to the FIM, the support fund is collectively called upon for lost income, employees, self-employed persons and volunteers. And that seems to be the only remedy for the time being.
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