Swindon (England). It was following a controversial mandate that Nick Merriman, the director general of English Heritage, announced his departure at the end of June. He had joined the British organization responsible for the management of 400 monuments and historic sites in February 2024 only. Management evokes family reasons related to his health. According to British media, this departure was positively welcomed by some people internally. Upon his arrival, Nick Merriman had to set up a drastic reorganization of the organization which resulted in a 7 % reduction in its workforce. Out of 2,500 employees, nearly 200 positions had to be deleted. Consequently, some sites were forced to close in winter, when others had to limit their opening hours.
At the time, the board of directors defended these choices as a necessity to ensure the financial viability of the organization. But criticisms have been issued on the methods used by Nick Merriman, including the lack of clarity on the process or the use of consultants. The former director had nevertheless proven himself during a career almost forty years old. It was at the London Museum, in 1986, that he began his career as a curator specializing in prehistory, then responsible for the city department of the city. He then became director of museums and collections as well as lecturer in museology at the University College London (UCL). In parallel, he occupies many functions, such as those of president of the International Museum Council for the United Kingdom (2001-2004) or president of the Trust collections, an organization that helps museums manage their collections (2013-2017). After taking over the management of the Manchester Museum in 2006, he became director of the Horniman Museum and Gardens of London, in 2018. Under his direction, the institution was distinguished as “Art Fund Museum of the Year” in 2022, in particular for his innovative approach to community engagement.
With this experience, he joins English Heritage with the objective of placing the heritage sites “At the heart of their communities”in particular by further involving premises in history as in the future of these places, according to Gerard Lemos, the president of the organization. But sources cited by the newspaper The Guardian Consider that in too much focusing on his restructuring mission, Nick Merriman would have ruled out the protection of monuments and sites. He would have so “Lost confidence” of the Board of Directors.
This volunteer or forced departure underlines the dilemma which is at the heart of the management of the organization. Funded by the government until 2015, English Heritage became an independent organization ten years ago, with a transitional “scholarship” of 80 million pounds (€ 93 million). Subsequently, the organization continued to receive a public operating subsidy paid in a decreasing way until 2022-2023. Nick Merriman therefore became director at a time when English Heritage was fully self -financing. The interim is provided by Geoff Parkin, non -executive president of two companies in the travel sector, who worked voluntarily with English Heritage over the past year.
