Fears for well-known British landmark as customer numbers plummet and losses double

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra The Eden Challenge has introduced its outcomes for a difficult 12 months, marked by a decline in customer numbers, losses which have greater than doubled, and important job cuts.

The Cornish ecological centre noticed a ten per cent drop in customer numbers, falling to 543,000 within the 12 months to March 31 from 604,000 beforehand. This decline was attributed to “tougher buying and selling situations in South West tourism”.

Pre-tax losses for the group deepened to £3.5m, in contrast with £1.5m the prior 12 months, in line with its newest accounts.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/07/22/11/52/iStock-585609758.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/07/22/11/52/iStock-585609758.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/07/22/11/52/iStock-585609758.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="The Eden Project in Bodelva, Cornwall" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

The Eden Challenge in Bodelva, Cornwall (Getty/iStock) A “main restructuring” was undertaken, leading to 75 job losses.

“The aim of this was to implement some working efficiencies and to scale back employment prices,” the group stated.

The agency, whose attraction relies close to St Austell in Cornwall, warned of job losses in January because it seemed to chop its wage invoice by round 20 per cent.

In its newest accounts, it flagged the “common inflationary affect of the UK authorities Price range 2024 and particularly the rise within the prices of nationwide insurance coverage contributions from April”.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/26/08/9202c39ea85baa697926cea7e6d28fdbY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU4OTU4NDEy-2.38795986.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/26/08/9202c39ea85baa697926cea7e6d28fdbY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU4OTU4NDEy-2.38795986.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/09/26/08/9202c39ea85baa697926cea7e6d28fdbY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzU4OTU4NDEy-2.38795986.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Eden Project architect Nicholas Grimshaw, who died earlier this month" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Eden Challenge architect Nicholas Grimshaw, who died earlier this month (PA) The Eden Challenge in Cornwall is famed for its bubble-like constructions and large domes that home hundreds of plant species.

It was designed by architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, who died earlier this month on the age of 85.

Regardless of the powerful 12 months for buying and selling, the Eden Challenge stated that for a lot of, it's “seen as a ‘should go to’ location in addition to ‘doing one thing new/out of the extraordinary’”.

“Due to this fact, as in earlier years, we noticed a big proportion of first-time guests together with welcoming again seasoned guests,” it added.

The group stated restructuring efforts have helped put the enterprise on a extra secure footing for the 12 months forward.

Andy Jasper, chief govt of Eden Challenge, stated: “Proactive measures we took in 2024-2025 enabled us to stabilise our enterprise by way of restructuring and management of prices.”

The centre is now in its twenty fifth 12 months, and he stated 2026 can be “pivotal” for the group because it additionally appears to make the “long-awaited” begin to development of its new eco attraction, Eden Challenge Morecambe in Lancashire, which is predicted to open in 2028.