Year of 'steady development'

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The Eden Project has published its annual report, revealing a year “of steady development”.

For the year ended March 31, 2015, the attraction declared a trading profit of £1.4 million.

And boosted by the success of its ‘Dinosaurs Unleashed’ programme, visitor numbers grew by 5% to nearly 900,000, helping contribute to a £0.5 million increase in turnover to £18 million.

Finance and commercial director, David Harland, said: “Our last financial year to March 2015 was one of steady development during which much has been achieved.

“We believe in profits for a purpose and our trading surplus will enable us to continue to invest in our education programmes and new partnerships, the visitor destination and our overseas activities.”

And he said the signs for the current financial year are also positive, saying that visitor numbers during the main school summer holiday period were the highest since 2007.

As of March 29, 2015, Eden’s net debt stood at £7.6 million and chairman, Edward Benthall, reiterated the board’s belief that “Eden’s long-term ambitions will be best served by ensuring that the organisation is substantially debt-free within five years and repayments will continue to be made during 2015/16, in order that this can become a reality”.