Redundancies at National Science and Media Museum

The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford is set to make 22 staff redundant ahead of renovations scheduled to last 13 months, it has been confirmed.

The museum will close in June for a £6m transformation and is due to reopen in 2024, in time for Bradford City of Culture in 2025.

The planned closure has led to almost two dozen front-facing permanent employees being made redundant.

The museum has said redundant roles are primarily those at the lower end of the museum’s average salary scale. Affected staff were asked if they would be willing to travel to Manchester or York, where job vacancies at other sites were prioritised for them.

Some of the staff members affected are currently involved in the application and interview process for new employment opportunities within the Science Museum Group, the museum said.

A spokesperson cited “essential but very disruptive” parts of the “once-in-a-lifetime transformation” as the reason for job cuts.

“During this intensive construction phase, we will not be welcoming visitors to the museum and therefore it is with deep regret that we are making some of our front-facing job roles redundant,” the spokesperson said.

“Pictureville Cinema will remain open throughout, so our public-facing work will continue there, and through extensive outreach activities in communities across Bradford.

“We are doing all we can to retain as many roles as possible and for those who sadly face the loss of their job, we have a comprehensive support package in place.”

The redundancy consultation process involved Prospect, the museum’s recognised union, the spokesperson added, stating that the museum is “proactively seeking external employment opportunities for affected colleagues”.

The spokesperson said that the construction phase would generate work for contractors and suppliers in the region, adding that once the museum reopens next year, it will actively recruit new front-of-house staff.