A new report has highlighted the hugely positive economic and social impact England’s cathedrals have on the cities and communities they serve and the effect the pandemic has had on their contribution.
The report, issued this week, states that in 2019, England’s 42 Anglican cathedrals contributed £235m to their local economies. They provided 6,065 jobs full time equivalent jobs and volunteering posts for 15,400 people who gave 906,000 hours of their time. Collectively, they welcomed more than 14.6 million visits, 308,000 by schoolchildren for educational events, and 9.5m from tourists.
In the same year, England’s Cathedrals hosted a rich programme of arts, music, heritage and culture – amounting to 9,580 events equivalent to two every three days – as well as providing the venues for film shoots such as The Crown, Doctor Who and Avengers: Endgame.
The report also emphasises the roles Cathedral play socially, responding to local need by running foodbanks, support groups for the more vulnerable, the unemployed, the homeless, outreach activities in schools, residential homes and hospitals, parent and toddler groups, and community cafes.
Over two thirds of cathedrals are part of the A Rocha Eco Church programme, including Ely who achieved their Silver status, towards helping the Church of England achieve its carbon reduction targets by 2030.
In 2019 Ely Cathedral welcomed over 200,000 visitors, 9000 school children. The building also provided a venue for over 40 concerts and recitals, hosted an original Banksy, put on a month long Science Festival which included the spectacular installation of Luke Jerram’s Moon, accommodated a special exhibition by The Embroiders’ Guild and accommodated several TV crews including Salvage Hunters.
The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely said “We whole heartedly welcome this report which highlights the relevance of Cathedrals, both as places of worship and reflection, in addition to their role within the community. We all have a responsibility to support the social and economic progress in our regions, but that can be hard to measure. It is encouraging that the data shows the meaningful contribution Cathedrals make, and how much we have all evolved since the last report in 2014″.
The report also collected evidence on the impact of COVID-19 – which saw Government mandated closures and restrictions on gatherings – reveals visitor numbers slumped by 75 per cent compared to 2019, visitor spend was down proportionately, and over 70 per cent of cathedral staff were furloughed.
The research continues, stating that the fall in visitor numbers has had a significant effect on cathedrals’ income levels, particularly those cathedrals more dependent on the visitor economy. It also found a significant fall in cathedrals’ average non-visitor income, driven by a reduction of almost 80% in income generated from the use of cathedral facilities. Closure and restrictions on congregation size also meant fewer people attended services in the cathedral leading, inevitably, to a drop in congregational giving.
On the positive side, the research also found that COVID-19 had given rise to new pastoral and creative opportunities. While 75 percent of cathedrals’ existing social projects stopped due to closures and restrictions, new services like social support groups developed. In addition Cathedral’s welcomed the opportunity to live stream services online and each Cathedral, on average, provided two Sunday services and six midweek services. Ely fully embraced digital worship which resulted in a congregation that more than quadrupled by accumulating an online worshipping community from people all over the world.
About The Economic and Social Impact of Cathedrals in England
The Economic and Social Impact of Cathedrals in England was produced by independent research consultancy, Ecorys, for The Association of English Cathedrals to show how cathedrals use their assets to promote mission and well-being. This latest research builds on previous studies of 2004 and 2014 and continues to prove that cathedrals successfully provide a multitude of community focussed services alongside worship. It enables cathedrals to demonstrate their social and economic impact as good stewards of their buildings, their history, their musical and spiritual inheritance, and, as good servants of their communities, to the wider church, local and national government, and other stakeholders.
Image – Ely Cathedral Image Library.
Press release from Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral Nave and Octagon Tower 
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