Wells Cathedral faces deficit and £9,000 daily running costs

By Laura Linham 2nd Nov 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 3 minutes ago

Wells Cathedral is spending more than it brings in on its everyday running costs, with bosses seeking new ways to fund the landmark.

Chief operating officer Nerys Watts said the cathedral, which costs £9,000 a day to keep open, was targeting a break-even budget in 2027.

Speaking to the BBC, she said visitor numbers had held up since admission charges were introduced two years ago. But income had not kept pace with costs.

"We're running a deficit budget this year for our core costs," she said.

Staff salaries are the largest outgoing. Alongside those running costs, the cathedral faces major conservation projects, including a potential roof replacement costing close to £30 million.

Its historic Grand Organ is already undergoing a £3.2 million restoration. The cathedral's fundraising appeal says growing mechanical faults had left the instrument at risk of catastrophic failure.

The project involves removing more than 4,000 pipes for repair, cleaning or replacement. It will also tackle problems including sticking stops, missing notes, sound delays and leaking bellows.

The appeal says approximately £2 million had been raised or pledged towards the organ project. A separate £50,000 crowdfunding appeal is seeking public contributions.

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The cathedral says restoring the instrument will reduce the need for costly emergency repairs and allow it to host more income-generating musical events. Work began in January 2026, with the appeal describing a two-year programme.

Ms Watts told the BBC that Wells needed to attract a wider range of visitors through events and other activities while maintaining its role as a church. Grants and fundraising are intended to help pay for major projects, including work at Vicars' Close.

The cathedral's £9,000 daily running cost is equivalent to about £3.3 million a year. That figure is separate from the budgets for restoring the organ and other parts of the estate.