Adults sulking over tickets

[Applepipsx]

Our local national trust house has announced its opening back up from the 3rd. You have to book online in advance. I decided to book mine at midnight as I was still awake and really want to take the kids for a picnic and a walk. It's been a long time since they've done anything remotely normal. There were 58 tickets available for each day. I got two. Then by 9am this morning Saturday was booked up. Still spaces available on wed and Thurs and Sunday.

The page put a really positive welcome back post on Facebook. Everyone is kicking off. Threatening to cancer membership. Kicking off about non members being allowed to go.

None of them have bothered to read it states the house and play areas are remaining shut. They are asking if it's all open etc. Basically you can go for picnics and walks in the gardens.

If I didn't get a ticket I would not be on FB giving the page hell and being mardy. Theres literally 58 spaces and everyone seems to think they deserve it more than others. We won't be selfish and book again for a few weeks to give others a turn. But Jesus what is wrong with people's attitudes.

[Lovemusic33]

I’m going to check if our local place will be open, it was one of the last to close so fingers crossed it will open.

[WotnoPasta]

My friend works for NT. They tried to open several weeks ago but it’s been more complicated than they thought it would be because of current guidelines.
On her site most of the staff have been furloughed and are opening with the small number of staff left, she’s not happy.

[MrsExpo]

I was going to guess Calke Abbey ... that's-opening on the 3rd as well, on a tickets only basis, and the sulking going on from NT members because they weren't given priority has to be seen to be believed!! (My friend volunteers there and sees all the FB messages etc). They have a 2000 acre estate and are allowing 450 people in to ensure social distancing ... just how much space do people need for goodness sake?

[janet1267]

I'm a member but have no problem with the tickets being open to all. This is an unusual situation and no doubt they are doing their best.

[matchboxtwentyunwell]

I think priority should have been given to NT members only because they've been supporting it all along. If non-members want to be prioritised, too, then they can join online easily enough and then try to get tickets as members.

[Nottherealslimshady]

They're jealous. Its not your fault or the national trusts fault. I looked at clumber park and their solution is really good. Were prefer when its quieter so gonna let the thrill rub off first and see when least people are booking before we go.

[MulticolourMophead]

@MrsExpo

I was going to guess Calke Abbey ... that's-opening on the 3rd as well, on a tickets only basis, and the sulking going on from NT members because they weren't given priority has to be seen to be believed!! (My friend volunteers there and sees all the FB messages etc). They have a 2000 acre estate and are allowing 450 people in to ensure social distancing ... just how much space do people need for goodness sake?

They need the space because certain parts of the gardens are small, such as the walled gardens, so people will be crowding into there. Have seen this often enough that large parts are quiet and the formal gardens are packed at the best of times.

*@Applepipsx* glad the info was useful, I only found out about it in Feb, while sorting out my renewal. We'll go and have a pcinic, then DS will leave to go round the estate on the more remote trails, and DD and I will walk around the nearer parts. Long walks help DS with his depression, so it's good to get back out.

[mogloveseggs]

Lots of complaints on the Lyme park Facebook post about this.
I cancelled our membership when I was furloughed and the places were shut. I will start it again when we can afford to.

[JingsMahBucket]

For all those people frothing that the NT should have given members priority because they wouldn't be open without their membership money... I seriously doubt that.

Your comparably minuscule £120 family donation for your family of 5 is hardly floating the National Trust in diamonds and 24/7 lawn care. They're likely getting about 75% of their support from the government or large private donors not from you. This of course varies from site to site. So much entitlement for so little money and time invested. Sheesh. 🙄

[Nottherealslimshady]

On the non-member subject, I think this is a class and disposable income issue. Not everyone can afford to give to charity. It would be fair for members to get priority over non members, no where it's something like national trust, it belongs to all of us, its our nature, you dont get ownership because you chose to give to charity for the upkeep of it.

[Applepipsx]

@MulticolourMophead

Bless him! Glad he has found a way to de-stress a little. It's been tough on mental health all this. Even the calmest of people feel tested I think. Have a lovely day and I'll keep my fingers crossed for this lovely weather for you.

[woodhill]

Then the members go and spend money in the gift shop, tea room as well. I'm sure the memberships do add up.

Dh was a member for about 25 years and rarely went.

People spend their money on different things anyway

[Mouldiwarp1]

Do people actually join the NT for philanthropic reasons? I though it was because they went regularly and membership was cheaper than paying every time.

[MorganKitten]

The government set the non members can apply rule not NT

[tenlittlecygnets]

From the NT website: Charity tax law means our properties must be available to everyone - not just members so we're unable to offer prioritised booking to anyone. Over 90% of those booking are members of the National Trust.

Fair enough.

[JudyCoolibar]

Is the NT offering an extension to memberships? I've got a standing order with Historic Royal Palaces to renew my membership, and they sent me a nice message saying my renewal was for 15 months for the normal yearly price.

[RainbowGlittersandSparkles]

Tbh I agree I’m a NT member and I’d expect priority.

[JasperRising]

Do people actually join the NT for philanthropic reasons?

We're not NT members but are EH members for mainly philanthropic reasons! We live in a county where there are few properties of either organisation (and most of those are free) so only use the membership on holiday - some years we go to enough sites that we save money, others we don't. But I like history and I want historic sites to be preserved. It's actually better therefore for use to be members and not visit at all - that way they get the money but we don't add to wear and tear at the site!

[StCharlotte]

I logged on at 9am today and there were plenty of slots for our local NT property and I easily managed to get the slot I was hoping for next week. It does state that the weekly slots will be released each Friday so definitely worth logging on each week to try and get a slot if you’ve missed out.

Oh God I've just come out in a cold sweat. I still haven't managed one supermarket slot since lockdown and now this!

I'm an NT member and I don't really mind if non-members get tickets ahead of me but we've received no info from NT and at a heads up would have been nice.

[cologne4711]

Do people actually join the NT for philanthropic reasons

We originally joined Historic Scotland when we were on holiday there to get "free" access to their properties and have kept up our membership for years even though the last time we were in Scotland was in 2016.

I think DH was a member of the National Trust when I met him and he added me and then ds to his membership. But we rarely go. I occasionally do a parkrun at an NT site where I'd have to pay parking or we are passing somewhere and go to the tea room rather than some boring motorway service area, but I would hardly say we get particular value out of it, we treat it as a charity donation.

I'm an NT member ... and at a heads up would have been nice

Yes. And also which properties rather than having to trawl them all to see which are covered and which are not.

[PuntoEBasta]

Do people actually join the NT for philanthropic reasons?

I’m sure some do but I remain convinced that a very large proportion of members regard their subscription as a Merlin pass with scones.

[Saturdayrabbit42]

Portion of tickets for NT members should totally have been offered...member for 20 years... husband and 2 children also joined...happy to support through good and bad times as it’s such a great cause. Bit disappointing.

[Rumblebear]

I’m a member...I got emails regarding this online booking system - at least 3- and I knew it was opening today. Managed to get a slot for our local one but wouldn’t have minded if I had to wait a week. I don’t understand if your email is up to date on their system how you wouldn’t have known about this.

[Myimaginarycathasfleas]

As has been said, the NT is a charity, not a members' club. Membership subscriptions support the work of the charity so it can operate for the public benefit, as all charities must. It doesn't buy you preferential treatment, although you will get some perks as an incentive to join, like free parking.

On a normal "non-Covid" day, it's first come, first served for everyone, Pre-booking is no different.