York Dungeon jobs threat (From York Press)

York Dungeon jobs threat

9:24am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

YORK Dungeon will not reopen for at least another month after being badly damaged by flooding – and it could even be next year before visitors can return to the key tourist attraction.

Owners Merlin Entertainments are consulting staff over the worst-case possibility of a long shut-down of the Dungeon in Clifford Street, which could put up to 14 jobs at risk.

But a spokeswoman said yesterday that the situation was looking more encouraging than it had been and the company’s aim was to minimise any need for redundancy, seeking where possible to find employees new roles within the group. Almost two-thirds of the Dungeon building was affected when the River Ouse reached its highest levels in 12 years last month. The spokeswoman said a detailed assessment of the damage had been conducted.

Merlin hoped to have a much clearer picture of the situation by early next week. But while it was now evident major repairs were still required, it might be possible to get the attraction operational again earlier than was first thought.

A small team would be needed throughout the project to co-ordinate works and get the attraction up and running, but the full impact on the bulk of roles could not yet be determined.

Meanwhile, motorists are being warned essential repair work to the road between Linton-on-Ouse and Newton-on-Ouse, near Easingwold, which was badly damaged when the River Ouse burst its banks and poured into a culvert last month, may take around two months to complete.

North Yorkshire County Council said it had begun a major repair operation, and was aiming to complete the work before Christmas.

Coun Gareth Dadd, the council’s executive member for highways, said preventative measures had been taken to ensure there was no further collapse of the road, and pedestrians and cyclists were still able to use the footway and a footbridge.