National trust membership is it a class thing

[candaby653]

Ok so I have never thought about national trust membership being a class thing. I thought of it as a normal thing lots of families have.

However I heard someone in a cafe having a rant about someone they knew, "they have every middle class status symbol right down to the national trust sticker on the Audi"

Is this how people see national trust!

In my mind it is for posh people so yeah very middle class.

We had a Scottish one for one year but after we'd been to everything a few times I didn't see the point in visiting again and the kids were bored out their minds with it by the end of that year. I guess that means we weren't middle class enough.

This pretty much... still with a +1 or at least fairly recently

Eternally grateful for my dgm whenever I go to the beach / dog walk so I'm not scrabbling for change

i would presume its middle and upper class thing.

When the cheapest sandwich you can buy is an egg and watercress for £4 then it's pretty obvious who they're targetting.

Can’t believe you need to ask this. Have you ever actually been to any National Trust properties? The whole point of it is go out for a nice walk and a cuppa without having to encounter chavs.

You can take your own food.

i would presume its middle and upper class thing.

Upper class usually have their own grounds to roam about on.

I would love a membership but I don't have a car so can't get to many of the properties.
I would also love to visit Country Parks (the ones that are council run) but I can't get to them either - because of no car.
And English Heritage sites
Ironic really. National Trust etc exists to look after old properties and nature. Country parks are - well - out in the countryside where there's nice nature....
but to get there you have to have a car which are boo hiss polluting 🤔

That's just standard price isn't it? Eating out is expensive.

We have NT membership and rarely go in the houses for a variety of reasons, but they are great for play areas, open space and a cafe. We often meet friends at one for a playdate where the kids can safely run around and we can chat.

You need membership though as it's really expensive otherwise. I think you only need to visit four times to make it pay for itself, least time I worked it out.

English Heritage membership is currently £10 a month for two adults. Each adult can take up to 6 children under 18 for free. So £10 a month for 2 adults and 12 children to enjoy castles, ruins, abbeys, houses .... a bargain! Most of our visitors bring picnics for a cheap day out.

I grew up in a very working class home but my family were very interested in history and when we could afford it we visited NT properties. We also loved a seaside and chips kind of day. Please don’t insult working class people by assuming it’s not their kind of thing! The reason you see predominantly middle class families visiting NT properties is due to cost.

Well of course it is, as is the fact that you didn't realise.

Which is 50p less than a sandwich and drink in my local Gregg's.

I have never heard any swearing, anyone saying "get here" to their children or screaming at them that is why I like it. I would have said it's a no scumbags place but if that also doubles as middle class that's fine. Although when we went to Cliveden, my 13 year old got a kids meal and was most put out that they wouldn't allow her diet coke as her drink - had to be fruit juice. So perhaps we are the bad parents/scumbags!

There’s a NT property not too far from us - Morden Hall Park, which has very extensive grounds which the public can enjoy for free. Apparently when the owner donated it in 1941 he stipulated that the public must be allowed this facility.

It’s in a generally very busy residential area, so a lovely big green space for families anywhere near.
I dare say the NT does fairly well anyway at busy times out of the cafe, shop, ice creams, etc.

Very working class family. We purchased a family membership for the NT as part of their Christmas and birthday presents from a young age. DC are young adults now and join us, or go alone, by choice

We like going and taking our own picnics. We are working class, but just like the outdoors and find most of the houses convenient as they have toilets and benches.

I'm a life member and worked out the return on investment was about 10 years! I have seriously considered both NT and English heritage life membership but felt NT was best value. Getting a single person life membership means I can take a guest in whereas a joint or family one means I would only be able to take in my partner (and kids!). I pay £10 a year each for the kids memebership. I had never been to a NT place before buying the life membership but don't regret and know I will not have to think about it again!

Yes, of course it is. The NT is right up there with John Lewis / Waitrose & R4 as defining features of traditional English middle class life. I grew up very working class in an ex-mining town in Derbyshire and we probably weren’t even aware of any of these things &certainly didn’t know anyone who visited NT properties.

Not for t’ likes of us, mi duck.

It absolutely is a middle class thing.

I don't know anyone who has one (that I know of, obviously), and it's the kind of thing I just instinctively feel isn't for people 'like me', like... I don't know, going to Centre Parcs. So yes, I'd say it's probably a class signifier to me.

It probably is middle class, but I don’t think £12.50ish a month for membership is particularly expensive or prohibitive. It’s cheaper than a day out at a zoo. It can’t be free as they need to maintain everything so it’s priced pretty low considering.

Of course it is.

That's not to say the working classes, Upper classes, or any other 'class' you want to pigeon people in to won't have some people that use NT properties, but overwhelmingly - and therefore stereotypically - of course National Trust Membership is a very middle class thing to spend your money on.

It's more a stage of life thing . It's either families with kids ( most properties near me have large play areas) or retired people.

Our nearest zoo/ small theme park is from £19.50 per person for a single visit so almost £80 for a family of 4.
£10 - £12 monthly for the whole family to visit NT/EH unlimited sites/times is great value.