National Trust to give staff siestas in move to ‘Mediterranean hours’ amid climate change

The National Trust is giving its workers Mediterranean-style siestas in summer due to climate change making the weather increasingly hot.

Staff and volunteers in the south of England will start the day earlier, finish later, and have a long lunch break to avoid the hottest part of the day, as people already do in countries such as Italy and Spain.

A spokesperson for the charity told The Guardian: “It’s fair to say that, as we experience more extreme temperatures, we will be looking to offer Mediterranean working hours, especially in the east which is likely to experience more frequent higher temperatures to ensure the health and safety of our staff and volunteers.”

Staff in Ham House in Richmond, south London, are already offered the new hours when it is hot. The property was forced to close in August 2019 after temperatures reached more than 40C.

Meanwhile, the charity is also planting trees to provide shade and moving its benches into the shade to protect staff and visitors from extreme heat. In some gardens, staff are planting Mediterranean plants, which can survive drier, hotter conditions.

Reacting to the news, people on social media praised the charity:

It is also expected that the peak visiting times will shift to later in the year when it is cooler and easier to go on long walks.

Analysis of visitor data over the last five years found that numbers of tourists increase when temperatures hit 24C, but drops at temperatures over 28C. This is particularly pronounced for indoor activities, including guided walks around stately homes.

The National Trust’s head of climate and environment Lizzy Carlyle added: “We have a lot to do to prepare the UK tourist industry for the effects of climate change.

“In time, there could also be a need for a slight cultural shift in our approach as tourists, like avoiding hotter parts of the day like those currently experienced in southern European countries.

“The National Trust is already taking action across the places we care for to ensure sites are ready for these changes, but there is much to be done across the industry to collectively prepare us for more frequent days above 30C, higher winds and increased flooding.”

Indy100 has contacted the charity for comment.