A NUMBER of jobs are at risk due to the temporary closure of the historic Battle of Bannockburn site, The National can reveal.
Last week, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) confirmed the visitor centre at the historic battlefield outside Stirling, where Robert the Bruce famously defeated King Edward II's English army in 1314, will shut until 2028 for a £3 million upgrade.
The closure comes after campaigner Sean Clerkin raised concerns about the state of the site, which the NTS accepted currently falls "short of the standard" expected.
The centre will close on October 1, with a re-opening date set for "mid-2028".
The NTS has now confirmed that a number of jobs are at risk as a result of the closure.
The National understands 10 staff are impacted, six of which are permanent and four who are employed on a seasonal basis.
A spokesperson told The National: "A consultation process is now underway with the team based at Bannockburn. We’ll be working with staff to redeploy them wherever possible."
The consultation is due to run until the end of August.
The visitor centre was first opened in 2014 as part of a £9.1m project, with NTS working alongside Historic Scotland and funding provided by the Scottish Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
It was timed to coincide with the 700th anniversary of the famous battle, and replaced outdated indoor facilities at the battlefield which had previously been in place since the 1960s.
The multi-million-pound upgrade will focus on the visitor centre and the ground will remain open.
At Bannockburn, the "rotunda, memorial cairn, flagpole and statue of King Robert I" are all A-listed historical monuments, the highest categorisation.
The rotunda may be restricted at certain periods to enable conservation work to be carried out.
Previously, the NTS lobbied against development of a trotting track for harness racing on the site of the 1314 battle.
Last summer, Scottish Government ministers stepped in to prevent the track being built, overturning officials’ recommendations that it be approved.
