Cornwall’s Eden Project has revealed a doubling of losses and dwindling visitor numbers – as it also cut dozens of jobs.
The attraction’s famous domes are home to thousands of plant species but it has recently seen a 10% drop in people through the gate.
It blamed “more challenging trading conditions in South West tourism” as visitors fell from 604,000 to 543,000 over the last financial year.
Pre-tax losses also grew to £3.5m from £1.5m in the year to April, according to its latest accounts.
The company said 75 jobs had been culled as part of a “major restructuring” to become more efficient and reduce employment costs.
It cited the rise in employer national insurance contributions – which has put pressure on many businesses – and the “general inflationary impact” of last year’s budget as particular challenges.
However, it said it remained a “must visit” location for people visiting the area.
“As in previous years, we saw a large proportion of first-time visitors along with welcoming back seasoned visitors,” the company added.
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The architect behind the attraction, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, died this month at the age of 85.
The Eden Project opened in 2001, built in an old clay mine near St Austell – and four years ago hosted a reception for world leaders and Queen Elizabeth II as part of the G7 summit.
Another Eden Project is planned for Morecambe in Lancashire, with construction set to start in 2028.
