At £13.00 for an adult ticket, Kew Gardens is not exactly a cheap place to visit. Throw in lunch, an ice cream, a souvenir guide for £7.00 and travel costs to get there (depending where you live) and there is potentially a hefty bill for a day out at one of Britain's national horticulture, historic and scientific treasures.
Alarmingly - but not surprisingly - Kew Gardens is in a bit of a financial pickle and received grants this year totalling £19.6 million; including a £2 million top up to help offset an 8.5% drop in visitor numbers for 2008.
In 2001, Kew was scrutinised by The Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) who undertook a Quinquennial Review to assess its effectiveness as Executive Non-Departmental Public Body. The objective of the review was, partly, 'how best to improve quality and value for money.'
In its submissions in response to the review, the Royal Society disclosed, that despite the appointment in 1999 of Peter Crane as Director, and described as an, "Excellent new Director," the weaknesses suggested that management were not effective as it should be - "some problems with senior management effectiveness, illogical division of responsibilities" the report continues, "concern that excessive effort may be spent on raising money."
Excessive effort as maybe but effective effort another matter. How long should Kew expect to receive such large handouts from the public purse and at what point should they [Kew] be obliged to be relatively self funding?
Image: The Orangery, Kew.
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