Nottingham Castle trust's former boss makes harassment claims

Allegations of bullying and harassment by trustees of a tourist attraction have been made by its former CEO.

The claims against the trust that runs Nottingham Castle - which reopened in April after a £30m refit - were made by Sara Blair-Manning in a preliminary tribunal hearing.

Ms Blair-Manning lost an initial claim for interim relief but is pursuing an unfair dismissal claim.

The trust board has said it "strongly denies all allegations".

At the hearing, Ms Blair-Manning in 2020 and 2021, said she had raised concerns about "inappropriate behaviour, including bullying and harassment by trustees towards her and other members of staff and external consultants", as well as issues about governance.

She told the hearing that having raised her concerns on a number of occasions and having unsuccessfully attempted to engage with the trust, she raised a formal grievance in July.

The following month, after a meeting, she received a letter terminating her employment.

Employment Judge Rachel Broughton told the hearing a tribunal "is likely to find that this [dismissal] process was unfair".

The judge said: "She was not told the charges against her, she was not warned that this was a disciplinary hearing, it was over in a few minutes and she was given no right of appeal. Staff were told of her dismissal less than half an hour after the end of the meeting.

"However, the critical issue is not substantive or procedural unfairness, but whether all the requirements of the protected disclosure provisions have been satisfied on the evidence."

However, Ms Blair-Manning lost her claim for interim relief - where a court can order an employer to reinstate an employee or their salary pending a full tribunal hearing.

In a statement released following the hearing, she criticised the board of trustees for allegedly failing to investigate her concerns.

"Throughout my career, I have consistently championed a work environment that promotes the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and mutual respect.

"It is right to expect the same for both myself and all those associated with Nottingham Castle," she said.

A spokesperson for the Nottingham Castle Trust board said: "I can confirm that 29 September 2021 saw a decision on the Employment Tribunal Interim Relief application involving Nottingham Castle Trust.

"Judge Rachel Broughton dismissed the application, a decision that has been welcomed by the trust.

"The trust would like to highlight the many findings made by the judge in relation to the dismissed application and strongly denies all allegations.

"No further comment is possible at this time due to the ongoing employment tribunal claim which the trust believes to be without merit and is committed to defending vigorously."

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