The new boss of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has been urged to explore other options before making redundancies or prolonging the closure of its north-east properties.
The Trust has been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, losing millions in income this year as its grounds, gardens and buildings have been closed since lockdown was enforced.
The charity has implemented emergency cost cutting measures and is running a major fundraising campaign, Save Our Scotland, to help ensure it can continue its vital conservation work, now and in the future.
The conservation charity – whose new chief executive Philip Long OBE started yesterday – will begin to reopen grounds and gardens across the country from July 6.
But properties such as Castle Fraser, Haddo House and Pitmedden Garden in Aberdeenshire are, however, expected to remain closed until 2021.
And Leith Hall, near Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire, is one of six Scottish properties that will be mothballed until the 2022/23 season.
A petition is calling for the opening of all properties to safeguard jobs and it has been backed by Gordon MP Richard Thomson.
Mr Thomson said the properties were “of great significance both culturally and economically” and called for their reopening.
“The announcement these properties and their gardens – beloved by so many – will remain closed is disappointing and will make it harder for the local visitor economy to recover as we ease out of lockdown,” he said.
“Despite the current financial challenges it is facing, I’d urge the NTS Board to heed this petition and to engage fully with groups such as the Friends of Leith Hall to explore what some of the alternatives to remaining closed might be.”
Those behind the petition hope it will encourage the NTS to revise their plans with the aim of opening properties sooner.
Mr Thomson hopes exploring other options will “allow better engagement with our local built heritage”as well as finding new ways to allow visitors “to enjoy what we are fortunate enough to have on our doorsteps”.
“I ask for all people who visit these grounds and enjoy the historic buildings to demonstrate their support by signing the petition and to continue to support those properties which remain accessible, however they can,” he said.
Stepping into his new role yesterday, Mr Long said: “I join the trust at a time of challenge, perhaps the greatest in its 90-year history, yet I am confident that we will find a way to continue all we do for the love of Scotland, now and in the future.
“From wonderful gardens, to impressive castles, the UK’s largest nature reserve and a World Heritage Site, hundreds of thousands of artefacts, animal and plant species and more, it is a collection that is critical to our culture, our wellbeing and who we are.
“I am looking forward immensely to being part the team caring for it all.”
The petition, which has more than 800 signatures so far, can signed here.