Annual Report 2019-20

This Annual Report for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) covers the financial year 2019-20. 

As Scotland’s lead body for the historic environment, the reports highlight how we are delivering on our Corporate Plan ‘Heritage For All’ commitments and provides an overview of the contribution that the organisation makes.

Highlights from the year include:

• Over £14.5 million was invested through the HES grants programme and helping communities to restore their built heritage and improve their understanding of the past
• More than 170,000 archive images were made available online
• Commercial income during this period, pre COVID-19, also rose to £64.7 million, with over 5.2 million visitors to sites and over 200,000 members in total
• A total of £37.3 million, inclusive of staff costs, was invested in conservation, maintenance and management of the PiCs
• The Climate Action Plan (CAP) was published, detailing the action HES will take over the next five years to progress towards the 2045 national net-zero carbon target
• Annual Greenhouse Gas emissions were reduced by over 30%

In March 2020, just at the end of the reporting year covered by the Annual report and following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all staffed visitor sites were closed which resulted in a drop of the provision of access to HES sites. Since August 2020, visitor facing activity resumed at 75% of sites, with over 200 sites currently open to visitors.

With over 60% of staff working from home, HES has also embraced innovative digital approaches from education and learning, digital animation and hosting virtual international conferences ensuring that Scotland’s historic environment continues to be enjoyed and celebrated by all.

Published in tandem with the Annual Report 2019-20 is our Annual Report on the upkeep and management of our Properties in Care (PICs).