Employment

Balmoral is a working Estate which provides for and is closely integrated with the local community. Its management objectives include providing employment and housing and generating economic activity in the local area. The Estate employs over 50 full time staff, between 50 to 100 part time staff and many self employed contractors. Staff costs are over £1 million, which represents a substantial contribution to the local economy.

Housing is provided to estate staff (45 houses) and to tenants including estate pensioners (22 houses). All these house leases are at affordable rents.

The Resident Factor is in charge of all operations on the estate. He is responsible to The Queen. Staff are divided among a number of departments, each with a manager in charge. These departments are defined by their work on the Estate.

The estate has its own Works Department of joiners, plumber, electrician, slater / builder, painter and labourers who, together with external contractors, maintain the estate's houses, buildings and water supplies.

The gamekeepers and stalkers manage and maintain the resources of game, principally salmon, red and roe deer and grouse. They also influence the moorland and forestry management practices to ensure their long term sustainable use by all wildlife.

The gardeners look after the flower beds and lawns around the Castle, maintain the plants in the greenhouses, provide pot plants and cut flowers for the Castle and grow a wide variety of vegetables, all used during The Queen's visits to Balmoral.

Over 7,000 tonnes of certified timber is harvested from the Estate woodlands each year and management of the forests is planned to maintain a sustainable crop of timber and many environmental benefits to the habitat and to the birds and animals which use these woods. The Forestry Department employs four full time foresters, two seasonal staff and a number of local contractors to help them undertake their work.

Many of our suppliers and contractors are proud to have become Royal Warrant Holders signifying their long-term service and commitment to The Queen.

Approximately 4,000 people are employed in the tourist industry on Deeside and the surrounding area and some £40 million is spent each year by visitors to the area. The ownership of Balmoral Castle by The Queen is a significant contributory factor to local tourism.

Balmoral, Ballogie and Invercauld Estate jointly formed the “3 Estates Training Group”. This training group was the initiative which started the Cairngorms National Park training group which now provides a range of training courses to businesses throughout the Cairngorms National Park.

During the Millennium year, the Factor investigated the Investors in People programme and decided that it presented an opportunity for Balmoral Estate to display its commitment to best practice, especially with respect to staff relationships, training and management practices. After a great deal of work by all staff, we were delighted to be awarded Investors in People accreditation in 2003 and, in August 2006, were delighted that Investors in People Scotland, after their independent examiner spent a day meeting many staff on the Estate, recommended Balmoral Estate for re-accreditation under the Investors in People programmes. This recognition is very welcome and displays our commitment to our staff, to our business practices, to our managers and to training all our staff.

During 2005 an independent consultant was briefed to estimate the economic and social impact that Balmoral Estates, and its ownership by the Royal Family, had on the surrounding area. These employment impacts total approximately 340 full-time equivalent jobs in Upper Deeside or 400 full-time equivalent jobs in Aberdeenshire, which generate household income of over £6,000,000 per year in Upper Deeside or £7,000,000 per year in Aberdeenshire.

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Balmoral Estates Economic Impact Study