THE Scottish heritage boss at the centre of a racism row has taken paid time off due to “stress” linked to public scrutiny of his position, the Sunday National has been told.
Craig Mearns, the director of operations at Historic Environment Scotland (HES), oversees around 800 staff responsible for many of the nation’s key historical sites. He hit the headlines in September after the Sunday National revealed he had referred to tourists at Edinburgh Castle as “chocolates”.
A complaint about the “racist” language used while Mearns was HES acting chief executive was upheld, and it later came to light that he had also called French people “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”.
The revelations prompted concerns over “racist” and “xenophobic” language to be raised at Holyrood’s Culture Committee, both during sessions with new HES chair Mark Jones on October 30 and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson on November 6.
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However, the Sunday National understands that Mearns went on sick leave due to “stress” on October 24 – after the media reports but before the committee hearings.
Staff within HES told this paper that there are serious concerns about Mearns being allowed to continue in his role – for which he is paid between £115,000 and £120,000 per year including pension benefits, according to the most recent HES annual report (for 2023-24).
“There was an all-staff call where he read out an apology,” one HES works manager recalled. “It lacked any detail and did not in any way feel genuine. I was shocked he hadn’t been dismissed for gross misconduct – and angry he had not been dismissed when anyone else would have been.
“Him now being on the sick really sticks in our throat – is he looking for sympathy?”
Another staff member said Mearns was “toughing it out much to everyone’s surprise”. “Everyone thought he would resign or that the board would remove him. That has made a lot of people very angry.
“It feels like chaos at present, and nobody will take responsibility,” they went on. “I know that some people of colour are thinking about leaving and feel the organisation has abandoned them.”
On November 6, there was another all-staff call, the Sunday National understands, at which HES external relations director Alison Turnbull told employees that everyone would have to undertake anti-racism training – an announcement which has led to more unrest.
“Not a chance will I be doing racism training while he is still in a job,” one employee said. “[It’s] completely indefensible.”
Another said that, as a person of colour, being told to undergo “sheep-dip” anti-racism training because of Mearns’s use of language was “adding insult to injury”.
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A HES spokesperson said that “for confidentiality reasons, we are unable to comment on individual personnel matters”.
But they further confirmed that HES was “partnering with Diversity Scotland to deliver inclusion training” for staff.
“HES has a zero-tolerance approach to racism and all forms of discrimination. This means that where concerns are raised and upheld through the appropriate processes, they are addressed in line with our policies, and a range of serious sanctions can be applied,” the spokesperson went on.
“We are committed to maintaining a respectful, inclusive, and safe working environment for all staff, and take that responsibility very seriously.
“As part of this commitment, we launched a comprehensive Equality Audit and, as best practice, are reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure they are inclusive and have maximum effectiveness.”
Staff, however, questioned the “zero-tolerance” claim, accusing HES bosses of trying to “redefine pretty plain English to justify inaction.”
Their concerns followed comments from HES chair Jones, who, when questioned by Green MSP Patrick Harvie at the Culture Committee, denied that “zero tolerance” meant anyone using racist language should lose their job.
“No. That is not my understanding,” Jones said. “My understanding is that it means that wherever it is encountered, it will be dealt with appropriately.”
At his appearance at Holyrood, Jones said that there were currently two members of HES’s management team suspended, but did not specify who.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson’s appearance at the committee a week later also angered staff, who accused him of giving “sleekit” answers to avoid acknowledging his lack of direct engagement with HES leadership.
On Monday, October 27, auditor general for Scotland Stephen Boyle said he would publish a “Section 22” report into HES – a rare step taken due to “weaknesses in governance and financial management” at HES, as well as concerns that it “operated without an accountable officer for an extended period”.
The chief executive, Katerina Brown, is HES’s accountable officer, but she was suspended for an undisclosed reason for an undisclosed period of time, meaning the body did operate without one in place.
Later that week, papers for Holyrood’s Culture Committee revealed that five separate dossiers – each named “HES Corruption Volume [number]” – had been sent to Scottish ministers, the HES board, and Audit Scotland between July and September 2025.
In June, a separate sixth dossier alleging "financial/procurement improprieties involving HES director” was also circulated to the body’s sponsorship team. An investigation into the allegations in the files is ongoing, MSPs were told.
The Scottish Government previously said it was “aware of issues that have been raised regarding the leadership and governance of Historic Environment Scotland”, but declined to comment on the latest revelations.
Roger Curtis, HES head of technical resources, is filling in for Mearns as operations director, it is understood. Curtis previously filled the role on an interim basis from April to October 2024, during which time Mearns was interim chief executive of the Government agency.
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