Leaving The National Trust

The cafes at NT properties usually give slow service and are really expensive. I always take a flask and a picnic when I go to a NT property. When in Italy I visit RAI properties (NT equivalent) and they always have lovely restaurants with waiters and fantastic food. A lunch there is a real treat.

At Christmas I bought, online, some tea towels from the NT and also a small diary, as I like month-to-view ones and they are not that common. They sent the tea towels and five diaries. While I accept that that is a mistake which can happen in the best-regulated circles, I am still waiting, nearly 3 months later, for an response to my email telling them about the mistake. Also for an acknowledgement that I sent back the four extra diaries at my own expense. Not impressed!

I have joined and left the National Trust, twice, when it started to use its membership for political reasons. I was treated to the hard sell at the House where they later tried to force staff to wear rainbow badges, and also in the car park when I commented on how expensive the parking was. Two local NT cafes I visited recently offered poor food, slow service and dirty tables, but the worst was at a beach cafe on a hot bank holiday when they stopped serving ice creams at 5 oclock precisely, with a staff member who could have served on the counter stood in the queue from 4.30 to prevent anyone else joining. They also control access to this beach and prevent people accessing it by locking the barrier at 7pm; no other access possible: no buses and road painted with double yellow lines all the way.

I emailed them at the end of last year to request the discounted rate from January when our subs were due. It seemed we had been members way over the qualifying period of 5 years, so you definitely have to request the loyalty rate, they don't automatically offer it. I think we need to use our NT membership more often to justify the outlay.

Yes, you do have to request the discount and it’s not widely advertised. Usually with all these organisations (NT, EH etc) you need to visit four times to break even or gain by being a member.

Eazybee, if you get bad service again, do fill in a Comments Card. Although you may not get an individual reply they do have an effect. Also a comment on Facebook or Trip Advisor will strike home. This method might also get an answer as to why the barrier has to be locked at all. Has there been trouble with travellers occupying it? The NT sites in our neck of the woods are open 24/7.

As to the staff member stopping people joining the ice cream queue, are you sure they weren’t volunteers? These people give their time willing but do have families to get back to.

My opinion of NT has been rather clouded after a job application. I was shortlisted for an interview and asked to visit their head office. So after arranging the time off, childcare for my little one and taking the 200 mile trip plus hotel expenses, I turned up to be met by 2 hipster types who clearly had little if no interviewing experience. I sat down to be told by the main interviewer that she hadn't actually read my CV as hadn't been able to open it on the online application but liked my cover letter. I then proceeded to have the most excrutiating 45 minutes of my life being asked for basic information that was on my CV and inane unfathomable questions. Needless to say I didn't get the job and couldn't get out quick enough. On the plus side at least I spent some quality time with my sister who came along for the ride and we got some shopping done in the outlet centre! I think there are some real issues there...

I've been reading your comments, a bit after the event, but just wanted to add my tuppence worth.
I am a member of the Scottish NT which gets us into English places too but the opening times of properties are really poor.
Some don't open in the winter and that's the very time you need to be entertained and educated.
I recently tried to take my DD and family out to lunch at a Scottish castle and the cafe was closed.

The village of Culross is NT but be warned, it doesn't open until Easter. I tried to take my visiting rellies there but alas we had to stand and watch the sea in the rain
You may suggest I should check in advance and that would be sensible but sometimes we want to be spontaneous. Often there is no mobile reception in Scotland.

Our local NT pile always closed in winter due to low visitor numbers and the need for time to do maintenance work and thorough cleaning. But this year they’re trying 363 day opening. Not all the rooms can be open, but being able to see how the conservation work and specialist cleaning takes place is proving popular. Hopefully it’ll catch on and visitor numbers will increase as it becomes more known. The restaurant, gardens and shops are open all year.

Nice

I don’t belong to NT, but have considered it as I love visiting historic houses. I have been put off by the lack of public transport to the properties as I don’t have a car. I wonder how many other people are out of my this ?

Put off by this ??‍♀️

I’ve had a mixed experience with winter opening. On the one hand it is good to be able to at least plan a day out in the winter when weather is generally poor. However we did just this on a recent weekend away and our guide was vociferously negative about winter opening. She claimed it would lead to more damage to properties due to visitors breathing and the need to heat the properties. This was not a fragile Tudor building, but a Victorian home. We left feeling as if we should have apologised for daring to visit! ?

Daring to visit.? Purpledaffodil! I know what you mean.
The grounds are often open all year so that is good.
When my DC were small I'd love to take them to our nearest N'T property where we would take a picnic and make ourselves at home in the far reaches of the garden.
I'm sure it encouraged their love of nature and beautiful gardens through all the seasons.

I have said before. If you’re not happy (or happy) with your visit do fill in the comments cards. The more people who remark on things like the membership hard sell or volunteer attitudes the better. It does have an effect. There are now poo bins in our park car parks after years of being expected to take them home! Praise for the good bits helps too!