A NATIONAL Trust attraction in York city centre will remain closed for the remainder of the year, it has been confirmed.

Treasurer’s House has not reopened since closing in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The trust has told The Press that it has taken the difficult decision to keep the historic house and garden closed for the rest of 2020.

As part of its We’re Backing York campaign, The Press is today focusing on National Trust attractions in the York area - Treasurer’s House, Goddards House and Garden and Beningbrough Hall.

Speaking about Treasurer’s House, a spokesperson for the trust said: “We are expecting losses in revenue at the trust of around £200 million due to the pandemic. As such, we have had to make some difficult decisions around resourcing that has temporarily affected the reopening of some of our places. That is why we have taken the difficult decision to close Treasurer’s House for the remainder of 2020.

“We are currently going through a consultation process that will determine the shape and future of the organisation and as such it would be unfair on those involved to comment further until this is over.”

The spokesperson said the charity is doing everything it can to reopen as many of its places as possible for members, supporters and visitors to enjoy, including Goddards, which has also remained closed since March.

Since its gardens, car park and toilets were reopened on June 3, Beningbrough has welcomed more than 40,000 visitors. The play area, galleries, shop, restaurant and Brew House Cafe are also now open.

“We’re delighted to have our visitors back and we were particularly pleased to be able to reopen our gardens at the start of summer so our visitors could enjoy them during the warmer months when they really do look spectacular,” the spokesperson added.

However, the spokesperson said visitor numbers at Beningbrough have been “significantly impacted” this year due to the pandemic.

“We’re still operating on a limited capacity to allow for adequate social distancing,” they said. “Our house also remains closed, so our numbers are not at all comparable to previous years.”

The spokesperson also said: “The safety of our staff and visitors is our main priority. Our estates, gardens and houses that have reopened have a strictly limited capacity and anyone wishing to visit must have booked before arriving at the site.

“At the gates, we have a system in place to organise the flow of vehicle and foot traffic, minimise the need for person-to-person interaction and maintain a safe flow of people coming onto the property.

“Once on site visitors will find that we have set up the best routes to follow to avoid crowds or queuing.”