Lichfield Cathedral staff lose their jobs as coronavirus hits visitor numbers

The visitor services team at the the cathedral has also been made redundant, and a number of administrative staff will also lose their jobs following an 80 per cent fall in visitor numbers due to the coronavirus outbreak.

But the Lichfield Cathedral Chapter, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the building, declined to say how many posts were being lost.

The chapter, headed by the cathedral's dean, the Very Rev Adrian Dorber, said the cathedral had suffered from 'disappointing' visitor numbers for the past two years, and the coronavirus forced it to close for three months.

And while visitors had begun to return after the easing of the lockdown restrictions, they were still at just 20 per cent of the number who visited during the same period last year.

A statement issued on behalf of the chapter said: "We will lose administrative and support staff and, because we see no way of the cafe and shop trading profitably and safely, we will close those enterprises and make their staff and visitor services team redundant.

"The regulations about social distancing and maintaining a safe, Covid-secure, environment mean that practically and economically the cafe and shop must remain closed for the foreseeable future and very few events, apart from worship, can take place in the cathedral."

Mr Dorber said it had been a very painful experience for everyone involved.

"We have benefitted from loyal and dedicated service from many of our staff over many years," he said. We are very grateful for all that the staff team has contributed and the constructive and understanding way they have taken part in discussions."

Cathedral marketing manager Vicky Osborn did not rule out the cafe reopening at some time in the future, but said it would have to be in a very different form to how it had operated in the past.

However. one person said it was unfortunate that the redundancies came at a time when the cathedral was trying to raise £300,000 for a statue of St Chad.

The chapter said the Church Commissioners had provided funding to protect posts in education, volunteer recruitment and co-ordination of event and development management, but these would need to become self-funding within three years.

Lottery funding had also been secured to cover immediate day-to-day costs such as core staff, essential maintenance and heating and lighting for a four-month period, the statement added.