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A UK tourist attraction may start charging visitors an entry fee for the first time.

The historic site has cited increasing financial pressures as the reason behind the potential move.

Worcester Cathedral has launched a consultation period to explore whether its annual 250,000 visitors could help with running costs.

The 1,300-year-old building, which is the resting place of historic figures such as King John and Prince Arthur Tudor, is the most visited attraction in Worcestershire.

According to the Worcester Cathedral website, the site is currently free to visit but there is a suggested donation of £7 for adult entry to the site.

Guided tours are also available, priced at around £8 per person, offering visitors additional information on the site’s history and architecture, as well as access to the tower.

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Despite these revenue streams and the site’s popularity, the cathedral confirmed that its “current financial position is not sustainable over time”.

Total expenditure for the cathedral was recorded as £4.06million for the 2024-2025 financial year, while the site’s gross income came to £3.08million, leaving a funding gap of roughly £1million.

To tackle this, the cathedral is currently considering a mandatory entry charge, which it said would contribute to costs such as energy bills and maintenance, as well as staffing.

Speaking on the potential fee, Dean Stephen Edwards emphasised the cathedral would always remain a place of worship first and foremost, reports the BBC.

He assured local church-goers that access for prayer, services, and pastoral support would not be affected under any potential changes.

“Through this consultation we explore how we can invite appropriately those who visit primarily for heritage and tourism to contribute fairly towards the cost of maintaining the cathedral and its activities,” he said.

He went on to explain that Worcester Cathedral, like “many historic institutions”, is experiencing a rise in running and maintenance costs.

“While careful financial management and support from our endowment have enabled us to balance budgets in recent years, this has reduced our reserves and increased our reliance on investment income.”

The Dean added that diversifying income streams would help the cathedral to “remain resilient and financially sustainable”.

Worcester Cathedral is currently asking for the public’s views on the proposed entry fee via an online survey, which will remain open until Friday, April 10.

The survey stated that “no decisions have been taken” and did not include a potential price for the entry fee.

Other tourist attractions, including Rome’s Trevi Fountain, have recently brought in entry fees for the first time.

A travel expert has shared important advice for British holidaymakers about packing plug adaptors in carry-on bags instead of checked luggage to avoid ruining your trip

When preparing for a short or long-haul journey, there’s an important reason why you ought to think twice about stowing plug adaptors in your checked luggage. Taking to TikTok, The Points Guy – whose mantra is “spend smarter, travel better” – highlighted the items you should “never put in your checked bag”, with plug adaptors featuring prominently on the list.

He pointed out that this everyday essential is far better suited to your carry-on bag, as checked luggage runs the risk of going astray. Beyond that, if you’re travelling to distant destinations, there’s also the chance that tracking down an appropriate plug adaptor could prove challenging – even within the airport itself.

Another everyday must-have (particularly if you’re heading somewhere sunny) is sunscreen, which is likewise best tucked into hand luggage.

Further items worth considering for hand luggage include a spare change of clothes, toiletries, eyewear, and medication.

The travel expert explained: “You may be able to get a doctor to call in your prescription, but that becomes trickier if it’s a weekend or a holiday or if your medication doesn’t allow for refills before the previous prescription runs out.”

Any precious belongings, such as jewellery, cash, and items of sentimental significance, are also ideally packed into hand luggage, space permitting.

This is down to the risk of luggage going missing, being pinched, or mistakenly grabbed by another passenger at the baggage carousel.

Following the travel advisory, people rushed to the comment section on the TikTok video. One user commented: “Everything important goes into my carry-on. Meds, contacts, electronics in particular.”

A second traveller added: “I only have clothing and shoes in checked bags. Everything else is in my carry-on.”

Whilst another remarked: “Scary that this has to be explained to people.