Historic Environment Scotland (HES) must put strong controls in place to prevent fraud and ensure value for money after unacceptable weaknesses were found in its governance.
The audit of HES’s 2024/25 accounts reported weaknesses in governance arrangements, including: procurement issues, data breaches, unclear processes for complimentary tickets to events at its venues, and no formal register of interests for the Executive Leadership Team.
Auditors reported weaknesses in the financial management of electronic purchasing cards and hospitality. They also found that the HES board was not provided with a paper to scrutinise the cancellation of a specialist archive storage project, which has already cost £2.9 million, with a further £0.5 million likely to be spent.
Together, these issues suggest a culture where organisational policies are not consistently applied or followed.
HES operated without a Chief Executive or Accountable Officer for almost six months in 2025. The Scottish Government should have appointed a substitute Accountable Officer to provide the necessary leadership and accountability in accordance with ministerial guidelines.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Historic Environment Scotland is navigating a period of significant instability and challenge, with a number of staff-related matters that need to be resolved. This includes allegations of a toxic workplace culture which needs to be fully investigated and addressed.
“My report outlines unacceptable weaknesses in HES’s governance arrangements.
“It is critical that strong controls are now put in place to prevent the risk of fraud and demonstrate that value for money is being achieved.”
Residents and visitors are invited to enter a photography competition, launched to celebrate Edinburgh’s 30 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The competition is being run by the partners who look after the site: Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH), Historic Environment Scotland (HES), and the City of Edinburgh Council.
Entries will be grouped into twelve categories, each celebrating a particular value of Scotland’s capital city. The winning photograph in each category will become part of a year-long calendar, which will be sold on Historic Scotland sites and at Edinburgh World Heritage events to raise money for the Trust.
The over-all winner will take price of place on the front cover of the calendar and will receive a one-year membership for Historic Scotland, who run top-rated visitor attractions all over the country.
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were first inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, where they were recognised as one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in the world. With its division into Old and New Town, Edinburgh is a remarkable example of urban growth, showcasing two distinct but equally significant styles of city planning.
Photography enthusiasts will have until October 2026 to submit their work showcasing Edinburgh in all its glory across the seasons. The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers, using any camera or device.
The entries will be judged by Tom Duffin, a professional photographer who specialises in showcasing Edinburgh’s heritage; Neil Hanna, a multi-award-winning photographer with over 35 years of experience; and Jane Bradley, celebrated Arts and Culture Correspondent at the Scotsman.
Terry Levinthal, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: “Edinburgh is a city of matchless qualities. It is a city of contrasts; of distant prospects and intimate details; a city of old and new; a place to be admired and be lived in.
“These very picturesque qualities make it the perfect subject for photography. To mark 30 years since inscription, we hope that everyone will be inspired to share their favourite views, details, buildings and places with us, so that we can share them with others.”
James Bruhn, Head of World Heritage and Heritage Policy at HES, said: “When a place is inscribed on the World Heritage List, that is by no means the end of the story.
“Edinburgh is a living, breathing place, and we are excited to support this competition and give local photographers the chance to capture Edinburgh’s unique beauty and win a membership to visit historic sites across the country.”
Cllr Joan Griffiths Planning Convener said: “I’d encourage everyone with an interest in photography to help us celebrate this significant milestone for the Old and New Towns World Heritage Site by entering the competition for a chance to be part of this exciting calendar. I’m really looking forward to seeing the results.
“It’s a huge accolade to hold World Heritage Status and it’s extra challenging for a living, breathing city. We look after the Site with our partners and it’s important to us to make sure our residents from across the city feel a sense of ownership and belonging to the Site.
“The competition and resulting calendar is a great opportunity for people to reflect on what the Site means for them through their art as well as what they find special or feel proud of in this internationally renowned part of the Capital.”
The twelve categories for which applicants can submit their photographs are:
Medieval Old Town
Neo-classical New Town
Gardens and open spaces
Urban planning/street layout
Topography and skyline
Public and commercial monuments
Conservation
Layering of heritage
Architectural detail
Graveyards
Juxtaposition
The Living City
To learn more about the competition and prepare to take the perfect shot, visit this document.
Following an assessment of the building informed by public consultation, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has concluded that the Brunton Hall civic centre complex in Musselburgh is of special interest for listing, but that development proposals are too far advanced to list the site.
When deciding whether to designate a site while there are ongoing development proposals, HES considers the impact that designation would have on these plans; the effect of the proposed development on the significance of the site and the extent to which plans have already been developed.
East Lothian Council is currently considering the future of the building due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in its roof.
As part of the assessment of the site, HES carried out research and a public consultation to gather evidence about the significance of the site. Over 300 people from Musselburgh and across Scotland, as well as from further afield, took part in the consultation, providing valuable information to inform the decision.
Dara Parsons, Head of Designations at HES, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in our consultation and gave their views on the building.
“When making decisions about designations, we consider the individual circumstances of each case. Because of the advanced development proposals for Brunton Hall, we decided not to proceed with listing at this time. Although we have decided not to list the site, we hope that our report setting out the special interest of the building will inform the decisions that are made about the site.”
More information about the consultation and the decision can be found on CitizenSpace.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) welcomed more than 600 young people across Scotland as they took part in Heritage Careers Week 2025.
The festival of career events returned for its second year to spotlight opportunities in the heritage sector.
HES, in partnership with organisations across the sector, celebrated Heritage Careers Week from Monday 27 to Friday 31 October.
The programme featured a mix of online and in-person events across the country, showcasing the wide variety of careers and employers in the sector – from conservation and archaeology to digital innovation and traditional crafts.
Highlights from the week included a careers fair at Edinburgh Castle, which welcomed over 100 attendees, and a hands-on skills taster day at The Engine Shed in Stirling, where 65 school pupils engaged directly with traditional craft experts.
Caerlaverock Castle also hosted a live skills demonstration, giving young people in Dumfries and Galloway the chance to see heritage skills in action.
As a hub of digital innovation and heritage science, HES’s dedicated building conservation centre The Engine Shed hosted the skills taster event with schools from across the Forth Valley.
In collaboration with more than 20 Scottish employers and Developing the Young Workforce, 65 young people had the opportunity to immerse themselves in interactive demonstrations including heritage science, thatching, blacksmithing, digital skills and stained glass.
Catherine Cartmell, Skills Investment Plan Manager at HES, said: “Heritage Careers Week helps people discover the diverse range of jobs available in Scotland’s heritage sector. These events give young people and adults a chance to get hands-on, meet the experts, and see how traditional skills continue to shape Scotland today.
“We’re facing a real shortage of these skills, but we hope this week’s activities will inspire the next generation to explore careers in the industry and keep these vital skills alive for years to come.
“History will soon be in the hands of the next generation.”
Heritage skills are essential in future-proofing Scotland’s historic sites and, in response to sector-wide skills shortages, events like The Engine Shed skills taster day aim to spark interest among young people and encourage them to consider a career in traditional skills.
Leona Hepburn, Principal Teacher for Positive Destinations and Transitions at Falkirk High School, said: “Events like these give the pupils hands-on experience so that they can have a go at different trades, bringing the subjects to life.
“It’s really important that events like these continue and we get more of them, because they build the picture for young people; it makes them see the jobs that are real and tangible, and not just the classroom environment.
“The young people are always buzzing afterwards! They come away and they’ve had a completely different experience to what they would in the classroom, in a safe and controlled environment. The whole event is just a lovely way to see young people grow and flourish.”
For information on how to get involved with Historic Environment Scotland’s upcoming training and skills opportunities, please visit:
This World Heritage Day, rediscover the Forth Bridge with HES’s new digital portal
In celebration of World Heritage Day on 18 April, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is highlighting how its new platform trove.scot can make it easy and exciting to discover more about the unique World Heritage site of the Forth Bridge.
The Forth Bridge was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2015. It is one of the world’s greatest cantilever trussed bridges, and was innovative in both style, materials and scale when it was first built. Even today, the distinctive industrial silhouette of the Forth Bridge is iconic across the world.
On trove.scot, visitors can explore archive records and images to walk through the immense process of building the bridge through photographs and artwork, and digitally get into the nooks and crannies that are inaccessible in person.
James Bruhn, Head of World Heritage and Heritage Policy at HES, said: “World Heritage Sites are globally important and part of everyone’s heritage, and we are excited to make them more digitally accessible than ever.
“With trove.scot, both local residents and visitors from all over the world can learn more about this unique and world-famous site.”
Unlock Scotland’s world heritage anytime, anywhere with trove.scot, the key to Scotland’s past.
Scotland’s biggest operator of visitor attractions, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), has set out its plans for the reopening of its sites as Covid restrictions ease.
HES is adopting a phased approach to reopen its properties, with over 70% of its free to access and ticketed properties reopening on Friday 30 April following the Scottish Government’s proposed dates for the reopening of the tourism sector and mainland Scotland moving to covid protection level 3.
This will see some of Scotland’s most iconic heritage sites, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Fort George and Caerlaverock Castle, reopen to the public in line with Scottish Government guidelines.
This will also include access to over 200 unstaffed and key-keeper sites across Scotland where HES can provide free and safe access and where physical distancing can be readily maintained. *
HES also plans to re-open further sites across Scotland as part of a rolling programme of re-opening over the coming months.
The approach to re-opening has taken into consideration the requirements of each site as well as the regional picture to ensure that, as much as possible, HES’ reopening plans appropriately consider the circumstances in each local area, whilst providing a diverse range of experiences for visitors to enjoy.
As part of the reopening, visitors, including members, will be required to pre-book tickets online and to use contactless payment where possible; one-way systems will be implemented in some locations; and some areas of sites, such as enclosed spaces, will be closed off to visitors. Visitor numbers will also be limited for safety reasons.
Technology is also being used to tell the sites’ stories in innovative ways, with QR codes being adopted at a number of different sites.
Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES, said: “Scotland’s heritage attractions are a key part of our tourism sector both nationally and at a local community level, and contribute to our individual wellbeing, so we’re delighted to once again be opening sites up across the country.
“This will see us reopen all of the sites we reopened last year on the 30 April as well as further sites across the country on a phased based over the upcoming months.
“As always, the safety of our staff and visitors has been at the forefront of our planning, enabling safe access to our properties in line with Scottish Government guidance and our minimum operating standards which underpin our approach.
“We’re also pleased to tell the story of the sites through technology so visitors have the opportunity to experience the old and the new when they are exploring some of our most iconic sites and enjoying a piece of 5,000 years of history.”
All sites will follow the HES minimum operating standards, which were developed to set a benchmark for the safe reopening of historic sites and resumption of operational activities.
Tickets for all sites reopening on the 30 April will be available on a pre-booked basis next month.
* This includes Jarlshof in the Shetland Islands which will reopen initially on an unstaffed basis.
The full list of ticketed sites reopening on Friday 30 April are:
Aberdour Castle
Arbroath Abbey **
Blackness Castle
Caerlaverock Castle
Craigmillar Castle
Dirleton Castle
Doune Castle
Dryburgh Abbey
Dumbarton Castle
Dunblane Cathedral
Dundonald Castle
Dunfermline Abbey
Edinburgh Castle
Elgin Cathedral
Fort George
Glasgow Cathedral
Huntly Castle
Inchcolm Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey
Linlithgow Palace
Melrose Abbey
St Andrews Castle
St Andrews Cathedral
Skara Brae *
Stirling Castle
Tantallon Castle
Urquhart Castle
* Nb. Of all of its ticketed sites, Skara Brae in Orkney has been kept open to local visitors only, whilst in level 3, whilst the rest of mainland Scotland has been closed for covid protection measures since 26 December.
** Arbroath Abbey’s grounds will be accessible for free ahead of the opening of a new visitor offer at the centre due to open in the summer.
