Birmingham museums consult on job cuts due to Covid-19

The trust runs nine sites, including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

A museums trust that runs nine sites across Birmingham is consulting on job losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

About half of staff at Birmingham Museums Trust have been placed at risk of redundancy.

Its venues include Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Thinktank, Aston Hall and Sarehole Mill.

Bosses said despite a public campaign which has raised £25,000, "without significant additional funding our charity faces a challenging future".

The trust said it was in discussions with its funders Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England and was awaiting more details on the government's £1.57bn emergency support package for the cultural sector.

Niels de Vos, chair of the trust, said: "Since April a large proportion of our staff have been furloughed and with this scheme coming to an end, we sadly can't save everyone's jobs.

"Only when visitor numbers and spend return to pre-coronavirus levels will our business model break even again.

"We desperately want to avoid redundancies, but we must do what we can to secure the future of the charity so that Birmingham Museums can be back open to inspire, educate and entertain the people of this great city once again."

It comes after a number of arts venues in the city announced consultations on job losses.

Birmingham's Town Hall and Symphony Hall said half of its staff were at risk of redundancy, while Birmingham Repertory Theatre announced 47 jobs could go. The Hippodrome is also consulting over redundancies.