Business
Eden Project’s losses more than double as visitor numbers fall
The Eden Project has revealed tumbling visitor numbers and losses more than doubling after a difficult year that saw the attraction axe jobs.
The Cornish ecological centre reported a 10% drop in visitors in the year to March 31, to 543,000 compared with 604,000 the previous year, as it faced “more challenging trading conditions in South West tourism”.
The group slumped deeper into the red with pre-tax losses of £3.5 million, against losses of £1.5 million the previous year, according to the latest set of filed accounts.
It said it carried out a “major restructuring”, which led to 75 jobs being cut.
“The purpose of this was to implement some operating efficiencies and to reduce employment costs,” the group said.
The firm, whose attraction is based near St Austell in Cornwall, warned over job cuts in January as it looked to cut its wage bill by around 20%.
In its latest accounts, it flagged the “general inflationary impact of the UK Government budget 2024 and specifically the increase in the costs of national insurance contributions from April”.
The Eden Project in Cornwall is famed for its bubble-like structures and giant domes that house thousands of plant species.
It was designed by architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, who died earlier this month at the age of 85.
Despite the tough year for trading, the Eden Project said that for many, it is “seen as a ‘must visit’ location as well as ‘doing something new/out of the ordinary’”.
“Therefore, as in previous years, we saw a large proportion of first-time visitors along with welcoming back seasoned visitors,” it added.
The group said restructuring efforts have helped put the business on a more stable footing for the year ahead.
Andy Jasper, chief executive of Eden Project, said: “Proactive measures we took in 2024-2025 enabled us to stabilise our business through restructuring and control of costs.”
As it heads into its 25th year, he said 2026 will be “pivotal” for the group as it also looks to make the “long-awaited” start to construction of its new eco attraction, Eden Project Morecambe in Lancashire, which is expected to open in 2028.
Fan spending for Harry Styles’s 12-night run at Wembley Stadium is set to reach £1.1 billion despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures, figures suggest.
Ticket-holders are expected to spend a total of £981 on average attending the Together, Together tour – which is limited to London in the UK – including travelling to the venue, staying overnight, buying merchandise and other costs, according to a survey for Barclays bank.
The figure exceeds the average £848 spent by fans who flocked to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and the average £766 on attending the Oasis Live ’25 shows, although these were both held across four UK locations, leading to lower travel costs.
Styles’ fans anticipate they will spend an average £102 on official tour merchandise, while nine in 10 will participate in a “fan trend” on the day with 63% planning to wear a Harry Styles-themed look.
A fifth (20%) will make sure their outfits are co-ordinated with their friends and 22% hope to create or exchange fan-made items with other fans.
Barclays said the event was set to be a “major cultural moment” as a million ticket-holders travel to London for the 12 dates beginning on June 12.
With just one other European tour location, in Amsterdam, Styles’ Wembley residency will be the most performances by any artist in a single year at the venue, which has a capacity of around 90,000 people for music events.
The survey found those going to the show spent an average of £143.20 on their ticket, with 19% saying this was more than they planned but 66% saying they would have been willing to pay more if needed.
Other expected costs include an average £141.20 on accommodation, £103.10 on transport and £103.10 on food and drinks before the show.
Some 28% of fans say they are planning other activities such as sightseeing and exhibitions while in London.
More than a quarter (27%) of ticket-holders view the concert as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and 17% said FOMO (fear of missing out) played a part in their purchase.
Almost 74% of those polled said getting tickets to sold-out or in-demand events now felt like a status symbol.
Tom Corbett, managing director of sponsorship and client experience at Barclays, said: “This tour shows just how powerful live entertainment can be, benefiting consumers and businesses alike.
“‘Concert tourism’ is on the rise because of the extent to which people value unique, shared experiences – so much so that they’re willing to invest in them even when cutting back elsewhere, and to travel to see their favourite artists perform.”
Opinium surveyed 2,000 respondents, and an additional 200 ticket-holders, between April 28 and May 1.
A sign sits outside of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Roybal campus in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. March 18, 2026.
Megan Varner | Reuters
One American has tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo in connection to the deadly outbreak in central Africa that global health agencies are racing to contain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday.
The person was exposed as part of their work in Congo, developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday, Dr. Satish Pillai, the CDC’s Ebola response incident manager, told reporters on a call. The CDC and State Department are working to move that individual and six other Americans exposed to Ebola to Germany for treatment, care and monitoring.
But Pillai emphasized that no cases tied to the outbreak have been confirmed in the U.S., and that the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.
Still, the CDC also announced on Monday that for the next 30 days, it will restrict entry into the country for people without a U.S. passport who were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan or Uganda in the last three weeks.
The update came one day after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola epidemic a “public health emergency of international concern.” The outbreak does not meet the criteria of a “pandemic emergency,” but the WHO warned that the high positivity rate and increasing cases and deaths point toward a “potentially much larger outbreak” than what is being detected and reported.
As of Sunday, more than 300 suspected cases and 88 suspected deaths have been reported, primarily in Congo but also in neighboring Uganda, according to the CDC.
The specific virus involved in this outbreak, called Bundibugyo, has no vaccine or treatment. Historically, that virus has death rates ranging from 25% to 50%, the CDC added.
But agency officials told reporters on Monday that work is underway to develop a monoclonal antibody therapy as a potential treatment for this specific strain of Ebola.
Musk’s loss against OpenAI is the latest in a string of courtroom defeats.
Source link
Fan spending on Harry Styles Wembley gigs set to top £1bn
‘Star Wars’ voice actor was 64
Harry Potter important actress leaves series just before season 2
-
Entertainment6 days agoConan O’Brien hat tricks as Oscar host
-
Tech1 week agoCould Contact-Tracing Apps Help With the Hantavirus? Not Really
-
Fashion5 days agoItaly’s Zegna Group’s Q1 growth boosted by strong organic performance
-
Entertainment1 week agoMartin Short: Facing tragedy with joy
-
Entertainment1 week agoTom Brady gets back at Kevin Hart during Netflix roast
-
Sports1 week agoJacob Fatu unleashes vicious assault on Roman Reigns after World Heavyweight Championship loss at WWE Backlash
-
Entertainment1 week agoMartha Stewart: How to make an omelet
-
Tech1 week agoPapa Johns Is Getting Into Drone Delivery—but Not for Pizza