During lockdown the organisation had to close all six of its visitor sites, including Mont Orgueil and Elizabeth Castles, the Jersey Museum and the Maritime Museum, leading to a drastic fall in revenue.
Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham, who had previously confirmed the principle of additional support, said that the extra funding would come from savings identified elsewhere in his budget.
In most years, Jersey Heritage generates around half of its total income, mainly through membership fees and gate receipts from visitors to its sites, but the closure of all of its attractions earlier this year meant that receipts plummeted.
Since lockdown restrictions were lifted, the organisation has enjoyed huge support from Islanders with an increase in staycations at Heritage Lets properties and around 1,000 additional members over the pandemic period.
It is believed that this upturn reduced by around £200,000 the extent of the emergency funding sought from the government.
The additional £1.1m will enable Jersey Heritage to continue to manage and maintain its public sites, and ensure that it can continue to fulfil its statutory and regulatory roles under agreements with the government.
Senator Farnham described its role as ‘an essential public service’ which ensured that the Island’s heritage was accessible to the general public, not only through the management of 35 sites, but through its ongoing work with schools and colleges, the management of public records at Jersey Archive and advising on the preservation of historic buildings.
‘The pandemic has had a particularly severe impact on Jersey Heritage, which plays an important role in our visitor economy and is heavily reliant on tourists for revenue. This funding will help the trust to work through the challenging period and continue its stewardship of Jersey’s unique heritage,’ Senator Farnham said.
Tim Brown, chairman of Jersey Heritage, said the organisation was extremely grateful for the additional funding, which he said would enable it to keep its staff and their expertise.
‘Like many organisations, we have been hard hit by the outbreak of Covid-19, and the corresponding drop in visitor numbers. In response, we have made huge cuts to our services and reduced our heritage work to compensate for the drop in income. However, we know that our own actions would not have been enough to secure the future of the trust until 2021.
‘I’d like to thank the government for its strong support, and thank Islanders and members, who continue to demonstrate how important Jersey’s heritage is to the general public,’ Mr Brown said.
