2 months ago
EXCLUSIVE: BBC staffers often clasp their noses astatine cost-cutting plans, but nan latest effort to prevention money is proving excessively pongy for some.
Deadline hears that nan number of statement cleaners astatine nan BBC’s London office will beryllium slashed by 70% from 31 to nine, according to unhappy insiders.
Employees person kicked up a stink astir nan alteration successful an soul missive amid worry that it will worsen what immoderate spot arsenic already questionable hygiene standards astatine Broadcasting House.
There are besides concerns that nan cleaner cull could create genuine wellness and information issues for nan thousands of unit who activity astatine nan building.
One insider told Deadline: “Lots of group are not very happy astir it. The spot is disgusting arsenic it is — soiled desks, soiled shared areas, toilets are often disgusting, mice moving astir — and now they want to trim backmost connected cleaning.”
Another personification added that nan simplification successful cleaning contractors was “asking for trouble.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “The changes being made are a matter for our accommodation guidance provider. We’re satisfied our contractor tin present our required standards and we’ll beryllium moving pinch them arsenic they modulation to this caller measurement of working. In addition, we will respond to unit who person signed nan letter.”
Stories astir vermin infestations astatine Broadcasting House, which costs £1B ($1.3B) to build, person agelong been a root of fascination for British newspapers.
When nan tract opened successful 2013, The Evening Standard reported that workers were told not to time off nutrient connected desks and to support activity areas tidy amid mice sightings.
As precocious arsenic 2024, The Sun claimed that The One Show‘s abstraction astatine Broadcasting House was crawling pinch cockroaches.
There’s moreover a societal media account, called Andy’s Technology Mice, which posts soul rumors nether nan guise of “the mice that tally nan Big British Castle.”
