The Chelsea Physic Garden Company

Analysis

The Chelsea Physic Garden Company is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1983, 43 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 01690871). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space, provides services and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending December 2025, The Chelsea Physic Garden Company reported income of £2.2m and spending of £2.6m, spending 117% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income fell from £3.6m to £2.2m (-37%), an average of -11% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income dropped by 16%. Over the whole period it spent 83% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Chelsea Physic Garden Company sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Royal West of England Academy (£2.2m), The Public Catalogue Foundation (£2.2m) and The Wordsworth Trust (£2.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from trading 48%, charitable activities 30%, donations and legacies 16% and investments 6.1%. Charitable activities took 83% of spending and raising funds 17%. Reserves of £5.4m would cover about 24 months of spending at that rate. It employed 42 people.