Stonehenge in financial “survival mode”. But no worries.

“Many major tourism attractions such as Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, and Edinburgh Castle remain in “survival mode” as visitor numbers have failed to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research. Trade body the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva) said venues that rely on visitors from overseas continue to struggle despite Covid-19 restrictions being lifted in the UK.

“That’s because in a normal year, they’re largely dependent on overseas visitors, who haven’t been coming here for the last few years. Until they come back in 2019 levels, those organisations like St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, National Gallery, Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle won’t be repairing their balance sheets for another two or three years.”

However, in the case of Stonehenge, (which has had an annual visitor reduction from 1.6 million to 0.3 million) there’s less of a problem than at the other venues. In a few years it is going to be hidden from almost everyone unless they pay £19.50 to English Heritage. And if you think that figure won’t double pretty soon after that we know a bridge we’d like to sell you.

Maybe the Stonehenge “hide and charge” recovery plan could be adopted by other venues?