Uni confirms Sunderland National Glass Centre redundancies
Sunderland Culture, which will run the site, has been approached for a comment.The facility is due to open in the former Peter Smith antiques warehouse in Sunniside in 2028.
It is understood that the redundancy figure does not include staff working at the glass centre's cafe, who are not employed by the university."Earlier this month in a briefing session for staff and union representatives, the university confirmed existing roles that directly support the NGC will become redundant in July 2026, when the building closes," a university spokesman said."Staff were also provided with detailed information about the formal consultation process, which will begin next year and the support and development available for up to 25 affected employees."
The National Glass Centre is due to close in July 2026 because of unaffordable repair costs.The estimates, ranging between £14m and £45m, have been disputed by critics amid an ongoing campaign to save the site.
There have also been warnings that the city could lose its glass-making specialists in the period between the NGC's closure and Glassworks opening.Sunderland Culture has previously said there would be an alternative glass-making provision in the interim period, subject to funding being secured, with details yet to be confirmed.
Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Money decisions to make now for a better 2026
It may seem too early to be thinking about next year, but when it comes to your finances, the decisions you make today could set the tone for the rest of your life. Whether you're trying to rebuild savings, finally get investing or just make sense of what the next year might bring for your money, experts agree: a little action now goes a long way. So, here are six things you can start doing for a financially better 2026. 1. Get clear on your financial priorities There's no point trying to manage your money if you haven't defined what you're managing it for. One of the most impactful moves you can make in 2025 is to know what your intentions are. 'Write down your own financial priorities in life – whether it is being debt free, helping your children, or having enough money to retire – and allocate a specific amount of your disposable income to these priorities,' explains Iain McLeod, head of private clients at St. James's Place. From there, McLeod says it's worth getting expert help if you're unsure: 'Seek financial advice to ensure that these savings are working harder for you – from a taxation and investment perspective. 'The worst move is to do nothing,' he says, 'the second worst move is to follow a flow chart – everyone's circumstances are as unique as their fingerprint.' 2. Should you be saving, investing or spending? With inflation still above the Bank of England's target and interest rates holding at 4.25%, it's easy to feel stuck between stockpiling cash and making big purchases before prices rise again. But timing the market or second-guessing interest rate decisions isn't the point. 'The best approach is to focus on what you can control,' says McLeod. 'Once you have balanced how much you would like to spend and how much you can afford to save, you are in a stronger position to commit savings to longer-term investments. This provides the foundation of a longer-term plan, which can be resilient against shorter-term shocks in the markets.' Or, as TrinityBridge' s financial planner James Ballinger puts it: '2025 is no different from any other time […] Generally, if you are younger in age or still haven't reached financial independence, you should be looking to maximise savings and investments – whilst still enjoying life!' 3. Starting to invest? Start with what you already have If you're new to investing, don't get distracted by market noise or get-rich-quick stocks. Instead, think about what you already have in place. 'The best area to start is always with cash,' says McLeod. 'How much do you need readily available at the bank for emergencies such as house repairs, large expenditures such as holidays, or simply an amount that gives peace of mind?' From there, longer-term goals should drive your strategy. 'Start with the end in mind – how much do you realistically need to save in order to meet your retirement goals?' he explains. And whatever your level, 'diversification should be a core principle […] it is generally the safest way to achieve longer-term investment goals'. Ballinger agrees that the mechanics don't need to be complicated. 'ISAs and pensions are both tax-efficient ways to save for the future,' he says, 'more basic than that, having a separate bank account that you earmark for saving, can help to avoid overspend.' 4. Rebuilding your savings without feeling skint If you dipped into your savings recently, you're not alone – but getting back on track doesn't have to mean cutting out everything you enjoy. 'A lot of planners will talk about 'paying yourself first',' says Ballinger, referring to the habit of setting up an automatic transfer into savings the moment you're paid. 'This creates discipline and forces you to adapt to your remaining budget through the rest of the month.' Budgeting tools can help. Ebony Cropper, money-saving expert at Money Wellness, suggests using banking apps or online tools to track where your money is really going. ' People are often surprised to find they're spending hundreds a month on things they don't actually need, like forgotten subscriptions, daily coffees or impulse buys. Just cutting £5 a day could save over £1,800 a year.' 5. Don't ignore the changes coming in 2025 and beyond From tax thresholds to pension rules, the financial landscape is constantly shifting – and not necessarily in your favour. 'The 2024 autumn Budget introduced a number of changes that could impact savers in the future,' says McLeod. Capital Gains Tax has risen, and from April 2025, the Stamp Duty threshold in England and Northern Ireland dropped from £250,000 to £125,000. 'First-time buyers will also be impacted, with their stamp duty threshold dropping significantly from £425,000 to £300,000.' Even more significantly, he adds that 'unused pension funds and death benefits will be included in the value of a person's estate for Inheritance Tax from 6 April 2027.' If that affects you, it's time to speak to a financial adviser. Ballinger notes that there's likely another government Budget coming in autumn, as he says, 'we may see further changes to tax then'. 6. Make the most of what's already out there But don't let what's to come send you into a state of panic. There are still government schemes and benefits going under the radar. 'Over £23bn in benefits goes unclaimed every year,' says Cropper. Even higher earners could qualify for support depending on childcare or housing costs. 'Someone earning £30,000 with two kids and high childcare costs could be entitled to hundreds of pounds in support.' She also recommends cashback schemes and checking your tax code, noting that 'errors can cost you hundreds'. And for those with modest means, she says the Help to Save scheme is a no-brainer: 'Save £50 a month and you'll get £600 in bonus payments over two years – and £1,200 if you keep it going for four. That's a 50% return, completely risk-free.' Ultimately, the financial habits you build now – from budgeting smarter to using tax wrappers wisely – will pay off not just in 2026, but well beyond. As McLeod says: 'The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.'
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Parents' jobs to determine who gets civil service internships
Civil service hopefuls will have their fates decided by their parents' jobs under a shakeup aimed at recruiting more staff from working class backgrounds. The government will tighten eligibility criteria for Whitehall internships as part of a broader push to make the civil service more representative of the working class. The main Whitehall internship scheme will be limited to students from "lower socio-economic backgrounds" and based on which occupations their parents held when they were 14. Pat McFadden, the minister responsible for civil service reform, said Whitehall needed to reflect the country as a whole. "We need to get more working-class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country," he told the BBC. "The government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve." The changes will take effect from summer 2026 and will give young people experience writing briefings, planning events, conducting policy research and shadowing civil servants, according to the broadcaster. The existing work summer placement programme, which lasts up to eight weeks and is paid, is open to undergraduates in the final two years of their degree. The move comes after the government announced plans to move thousands more civil servants out of London as part of plans to "radically reform the state". In May, the government confirmed it would cut the number of civil servants working in London by 12,000 and shift jobs to a series of new regional "campuses" across the country. Mr McFadden said at the time that the government would be relocating a "substantial number of roles". "The aim is to reduce the London count by about 12,000. That will save us £94m in lease costs because the properties in London are very expensive. "And we will move thousands - it's difficult to put a precise number - thousands of those jobs to new themed campuses around the country," he told Times Radio. The changes will also see 11 government office buildings in London close, including one of its largest Westminster sites, in a move expected to save £94m a year by 2032. The move will see two new major "campuses" created, one in Manchester focused on digital innovation and AI and another in Aberdeen on energy. Manchester is already home to major offices of the science and culture departments, while Aberdeen houses the new Great British Energy headquarters. Other roles will be created in Birmingham, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Darlington, Newcastle and Tyneside, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast and York, with the changes expected to bring £729 million to the local economy by 2030.
The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
British Airways profits jump despite Heathrow fire closure
British Airways' half-year earnings have increased despite a £40 million hit from the closure of Heathrow in March after a substation fire, as the airline ramped up its flight programme. The carrier reported a 48% jump in underlying operating profits to £824 million for the six months to June 30, up from £555 million a year ago. Owner International Airline Group (IAG) said earnings were driven higher at British Airways as it increased flight capacity by 2.1% and boosted passenger revenues. The wider IAG company – which also owns Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling – posted a 43.5% rise in earnings to £1.88 billion for the first half. Pre-tax profits rose sharply to £1.75 billion from £1.05 billion a year ago. IAG chief executive Luis Gallego said: 'Our strong performance in the first half of 2025 reflects the resilience of demand for travel and the success of our ongoing transformation, underpinned by the fundamental strengths of our group. 'We continue to benefit from the trend of a structural shift in consumer spending towards travel. 'We remain focused on our market-leading brands and core geographies, where we continue to see robust performance, allowing us to invest in fleet as well as technology to improve operational efficiency and customer experience. 'These results give us confidence that we will deliver good earnings growth and margin progression for the full year and enable us to create value for our shareholders through our sustainable dividend and the share buyback.'
