|
|
|
|
Covid-19 Update June 2020
|
|
Dear <<Your Name>>
This is the second of our lockdown updates for members. We do hope that you and your families are all keeping well and safe.
Like many cultural institutions, we are facing a huge financial impact following the closure of all our venues due to Coronavirus. We estimate we will lose £1.35 million in the months from April to June through closure – a heavy blow as nearly 70% of our running costs are covered by earned income from ticket sales, retail, programmes, and events. Like many museums with high international visitor numbers, we are planning on the basis that our income from visitors is not expected to recover for at least three years.
‘When the crisis is over Brighton & Hove will need its museums more than ever. The Royal Pavilion & Museums are key to the financial health of our city, but more than that they have a vital role in helping define our sense of community and identity. We are working hard to ensure that they are still here for future generations. We need our local supporters more than ever before – thank you for staying with us.’
Michael Bedingfield – Chair of the Board of Trustees
Our work continues
Last time we talked about the fantastic work our digital staff were doing to bring the museums and collections to you via online channels. I hope you have had a chance to explore and enjoy the various options, including the new 100 First Women Portraits online exhibition.
Spotlight on Conservation
The Royal Pavilion and our museums are of course currently closed to the public but this has provided a golden opportunity for the conservation team to undertake various tasks such as deep cleaning, pest control and eradication especially in those areas which have heavy public use, and restoration of objects from the collections. This is delicate and often highly skilled work with great care taken, especially with fragile items such as fabrics, books, furniture and priceless porcelain. The conservation staff are our unsung, hidden heroes working hard behind the scenes to keep the buildings and collections in tiptop shape, ready for when we open again.
Here is a flavour of the tasks the team have been carrying out at the Royal Pavilion:
- All objects in the Long Gallery dusted with a brush and vacuum, including Royal Loans.
- The floor polished in the Banqueting Room, all chairs, the lower half of cabinets brushed and vacuumed.
- Muslins throughout the building labelled and sewn in.
- All fireplaces vacuumed and brushed.
- Prepare taxidermy in the Great Kitchen and get ready for freezing (to eliminate pests).
- The floor and ranges vacuumed in the Great Kitchen and 45 copperware objects polished and re-labelled.
- All objects and textiles in the Entrance Hall being brushed and vacuumed
- King’s Apartment Library Books brushed and vacuumed
- All fenders are being removed and polished
- Conservation Archive being scanned
- Carpets and skirting to be vacuumed
- Re-install furniture in Queen Victoria’s bedroom (which has had the Chinese wallpaper reinstated).
Next month we’ll report on the lockdown activities of our other museums.
Re-opening plans
Following government advice on the easing of lockdown restrictions, we are aiming to re-open some of our museums in early August. We will update our members on these plans in July.
Membership Renewals Update
We can now renew memberships and we will catch up as quickly as possible with the backlog.
Direct Debits will continue to be taken as normal. For the foreseeable future, when your membership is up for renewal, you will be offered these options.
- Renew as usual. This will hugely support the Royal Pavilion & Museums providing a much-needed income for us to continue our work. A membership card(s) will be issued with your current details.
- Renew and receive 15 months for the price of 12. This covers the predicted period the Royal Pavilion & Museums will be shut and you have been unable to visit. Membership card(s) will be issued with an extended expiry date and we will change your Direct Debit collection date for next year.
- Place your membership on hold. Direct Debit will still be collected and your membership will be reactivated when we re-open and a card will be issued valid from this date. We will change your Direct Debit collection date for next year to correspond with your membership.
How you can help
- Please remain a Member. This will lessen the impact on our charitable income and help us to maintain our wonderful buildings and collections through this difficult time. We are confident that with your continued support we will survive this period of great uncertainty.
Please keep in touch with us. At present all the fundraising team are working from home and observing social distancing rules so we are not available by phone. It will be more cost effective for us if we can contact you by email. If we do not have your email address please contact us at info@pavilionfoundation.org As with other personal data we hold about you, we will only use it for the purpose of managing your membership, including telling you about our event programme and work behind the scenes, and informing you of fundraising campaigns.
Thank you again for your support and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Stay safe.
Warmest wishes from us all at the Royal Pavilion & Museums.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
