To think it's fair that pushchairs are not allowed inside historic houses?

[dolgellau]

I volunteer weekly at a National Trust property.

We welcome anyone that wants to visit and explore the house and gardens.

Like many NT houses, pushchairs are more than welcome to go around the gardens. For conservation reasons they are not allowed indoors.

This particular property is 400+ years old and has some narrow doorways which are a problem of access for wheelchair users. More importantly there are almost 'priceless' pieces of irreplaceble furniture that can easily be knocked and damaged. The building is still set out as a house. I feel it's of utmost importance to care for all of these objects for future generations to enjoy, not just ours.

Every once in a while I get put on front of house. The amount of abuse and hassle I receive from people after they've been politelly informed that pushchairs are not allowed indoors. I've had swearing in my face to just general attitude. A favourite is that we're somehow discriminatory against wheelchair users. (For that matter we make exceptions and are very welcome).

I can't be rude to the visitors but come on, your child can walk or be carried whereas as a wheelchair user physically can't see the house otherwise! I always offer for the pushchair to be left in a safe place by the entrance where it will be guarded around the clock.

So, I thought I'd consult Mumsnet for this issue. Do you see it as being unfair for pushchairs to not be allowed in historic houses in order to conserve the collections?

We have been told we couldn't use Ds's special needs buggy in 2 National Trust properties (It was obviously a special needs buggy and we had a DLA letter) and so dh took his sister's (quickly!) around while Ds and I waited outside., when he was smaller we carried him on one of their loaned hip seats. When he was younger we carried him in a side sling.

It is a pain, but I know that in certain old buildings they can't be adapted to wheelchair use, and that buggies can damage the flooring and be difficult to manoeuvre around narrow corridors and displays, so I didn't complain, and certainly wouldn't have sworn at someone!

Although I did complain about the very rude volunteer who was very stroppy to ds and then said, 'speak up boy, I can't understand a word you say!' to ds, who has learning disabilities and a severe speech disorder!

I have twins and if I’m on my own I can’t physically carry them both, even with a carrier. So if I can’t take a buggy, I can’t go. That said, I would never expect to push a buggy round a historic house anyway. We have NT membership and the twins love toddling round the gardens and smiling winningly at old lady visitors in the cafes .

I have taken my toddler to a National trust property in his pushchair. He got out in the house but it was needed to get there as it’s a huge walk. He ran around the grounds and used the park etc too. It’s a great day out. He was on reins in the house as he is a hurricane child. So I had full control there are ways around it. YANBU

And this is the reason that I cannot visit NT places with 11 y/o and 8 m/o...I have been in wheelchair for 3 years and cannot carry baby, dc1 pushes pushchair when we went out.
Just had hip replacement so cannot carry baby at all and use pushchair at times as a 'walker'.
I understand about the limitations but there has to be some reasonableness for example along the lines of Batemans where rooms are roped off yet you can still enter and look at everything from behind the rope.
11 y/o is missing out, however he does love running around the grounds of the places we do visit when appropriate to do so!

It's fine, it's not a service essential to families with young children.

I would love it though if people - not the OP so much, but people on the thread - would bear in mind that for twins or children close in age it may not be possible to carry both or use a sling or carrier for both. I had a twin carrier for my girls from 2 months to about 6 months but before 2 months, and after 2 months but before they could walk there was no way for me to take them anywhere but in the buggy. Not a problem when it's about getting into a NT house to look round but an issue when for example we had to go to the GP or the children's centre and they wouldn't let me take the buggy inside or help me by carrying in one of the babies.

Sandringham house is fully accessible to wheelchairs/p-chairs. It's a lot more interesting than many historic residences, b/c famous living people still stay there sometimes.

YANBU OP. Our fave NT property has a room for buggies, with free lockers and baby carriers (Dunham Massey for anyone interested!)

@takeoffyourpantsandjacket I haven't been to Lyme since before having DD, I would like to take her next week though, I remember it being lovely (especially the gardens, gorgeous!) I remember there being a steep hill up to the property though, is there a more accessible way around? I don't think i could carry DD up as am pregnant, and she probably couldn't walk up there in a day! Thanks, hope you don't mind me picking your brain!

If the floors are at risk of being damaged by the wheels I think it's fair. If not I'm afraid I disagree with a ban on pushchairs. Isn't a toddler more at risk of damaging something/bumping into valuables/escaping under the alarmed rope if they're on foot? I've had to chase mine around country houses and she's set off alarms a couple of times! Strapped into a buggy they can't touch anything and can be entertained with toys or a book.

It would be nice if NT houses were more inclusive, a family experience. When DD was a baby I used to visit a lot with my mum, but had to wait in the garden/cafe while she went around the house. It defies the point of going really. My mum would have loved company for the tour, just to share the experience and talk about it afterwards. I did use a sling sometimes but then you have to carry the nappy bag etc and it gets tiring with a bigger baby.

Most slimline buggies will fit through narrow doorways (mine can be pushed up the aisle of a train with space to spare) so I don't think the narrow doorways are a valid reason. Our buggy is very lightweight so can easily be carried up stairs with the child in it.

The OP explains the good reasons why, and I hope that this is explained both on the NT website about the particular property, but also at or near the entrance, and in any leaflets.

Ill manners and rudeness from visitors is wrong and unreasonable. Unfortunately as more and more people communicate online and not face to face, being able to deal in a reasonable way with disappointment or challenges face to face may become a rarer skill.

We recently visited a NT property. When entering the house we asked if it was accessible for pushchairs and the volunteer said no but we were welcome to leave it there with her. We carried DD (1) round and, although we probably whizzed through a bit quicker than we would have done otherwise, there was no problem. I understand for some one with more than one young child or a disability that there may be an issue, and that’s a shame, but it’s the nature of the type of property the NT looks after and I wouldn’t consider it ‘unfair’. This house really wasn’t suitable for a pushchair - spiral staircases, narrow doorways. Even if it had been more accessible I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the NT to want to protect the property from damage. Kids were more than welcome to enjoy the grounds there, and unfortunately there are some things that you just can’t do with young children unless they can be carried or are old enough to behave appropriately.

Before having DD me and DH often popped into our favourite restaurant for lunch after a walk. There’s no room for a pram and I’m not prepared to leave it outside, so I’ve accepted that unless we go by car its just not something we can do like we used to. It’s part of having a child. For the next couple of years until DD is it of the toddler stage we probably won’t go back to a NT place other than to visit the grounds. I don’t see it as a huge hardship that me and DH (or older children if we had any) would miss out on this for a few years. There are plenty of other suitable activities.

I work at an historic house which is over 700 years old. Fair enough don't let people in pushchairs/ wheelchairs in if the house as it was built won't accommodate them, i.e narrow doorways etc. BUT, if you can, then I think you should. The visiting public are the reason historic houses are so well looked after.

I used to work for NT and this rule on our site was very much about lack of space and H&S not so much about the potential damage to furniture in situ. In the event of an emergency people would need to be able to exit quickly and to be honest pushchairs just get in the way! Add a wheelchair user into the mix and it's even more difficult if a pushchair is taking up space that would allow for them to exit safely. It's better to preserve people's safety in these situations.

Why on earth would anyone take a toddler to a NT property?

Whilst I can see your point op, it needs to be made clearer and sooner. At the door is too late.

When you buy house tickets they should tell you before you hand over money because it can be a real ball ache to leave a buggy behind if you have planned around having it. Not just making a child walk, it’s valuables, bags etc.

I think it's perfectly reasonable.

I've been to lots of NT properties where bags have to be left - even one where it was just dumped by the door with no numbering system or anything and I've never had security concerns. I completely understand why it's necessary.

If you have 2 under 2 surely you have a double buggy anyway which it would be unreasonable to expect you could go round a house in no way designed to accommodate such with.

People are just entitled and forget what the point of the NT is.

@Bluelady NT properties are great places for family days out with lots for children to see and do.

Some places are unsuitable to visit with young children. My son is very impulsive still at 3.5 and I wouldn't take him to a NT property. Just don't go with small kids, it's too stressful!

Apologies if this has already been posted, but the National Trust do an Essential Carers card for disabled visitors. This allows free entry for carers and might also serve as evidence that a special needs buggy is essential. Link here: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/access-for-everyone

I think it's fine. I understand the frustration but honestly perhaps there is better entertainment for small children than being taken around historic properties.

There's tons of museums and art galleries I would like to visit... my walking NT primary school aged child would not appreciate them or being quiet to allow others to appreciate them... so I'll take him when he's older rather than risk ruining things for others and a stressful time for myself. I just visit without him now and family days out where people suggest these places as a great idea... there's usually gardens I can play in with him and meet up with others later.

Wheelchair users won't have the option of growing up and appreciating it later like children do so of course they should be allowed

My DD has had a lot of enjoyable days around NT gardens.They are great for children and free.Take them round the house when they are older.

I think NT properties are great for young kids. There’s usually loads of space, it’s a bit different from going to the bloody park again, often kids activities and a cafe.

It's a house, you don't use a pushchair in a house. You carry a baby and either carry or hold the hand of a toddler. Wheelchairs and pushchairs used instead of a wheelchair are different.

Kids are all different so you can't put an age on when or when not to take them, but parents should use their judgement.

Totally fair not to allow people to bring pushchairs in! All your reasons sound very sensible. You can't take a pushchair everywhere. That's life. It's not always good for kids to be permanently strapped into them either.

Once place I went to had clever belt things with a padded bit for the child to sit on - like an extra big hip. A really good idea.

Totally agree that the grounds of lots of NT properties are great days out for families. I just can't see why anyone would drag a bored toddler round the house.

Lots of houses have little soft toys hidden in the rooms for children to spot. It's a good way to keep them entertained while you have a look round so I don't agree they are too boring for small children.

I'm not one of those people who has to read every bit of information and chat to the volunteer in each room though, so we tend to get through quite quickly.