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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not pay £20 to go to a café (exc. drinks/food)?

30 replies

BlowDryRat · 17/09/2023 22:32

We live fairly near to an English Heritage place (Wrest Park, if you know it). The entrance is through the old walled gardens, where there's a café, gift shop, loos and a playground. Diagram attached.

When the DC were little I'd take them to play in the playground and we'd buy drinks, ice creams, often lunch. The ticket office was after the cafe area so you'd only have to pay if you wanted to visit the house and parkland.

Today was MIL's birthday so we thought we'd take her to the café. We had other plans afterwards so didn't want to visit the house and parkland. They've now moved the ticket office so you have to pay to access the café area. £19+ for one adult (DH and I are EH members).

WIBU to give that a pass and go to a café where you don't have to pay nearly £20 just to get in?

YABU - it makes sense for them to move the ticket office so people have to pay to go to the café.
YANBU - this is a daft move that will stop people spending money they otherwise wouldn't have done.

To not pay £20 to go to a café (exc. drinks/food)?
OP posts:
MiddleParking · 17/09/2023 22:33

Yeah that’s insane. These types of places often don’t help themselves.

User183642 · 17/09/2023 22:37

I wonder if they were having issues meeting the levels of demand (either due to a lack of space or ongoing staffing issues) they were getting when the cafe was outside of the ticketed area and have moved it inside said area in order to provide a better service to those who have bought tickets to see the house and gardens. If that was the reasoning they’ll presumably be quite happy that most of those who were previously only visiting for the cafe are no longer doing so as they didn’t really want them there in the first place.

SaylessSayless · 17/09/2023 22:37

Unless it was so packed members couldn't get served it is a very bad move on their part and I wouldn't pay just to get to the cafe.

Original poster
BlowDryRat · 17/09/2023 22:39

The DC are too old for the playground now so admittedly I haven't been in a while, but I don't remember it being so rammed that people were having trouble getting served, a seat etc.

OP posts:
LadyGaGasPokerFace · 17/09/2023 22:44

Bloody hell! Hadn’t realised Wrest Park are doing that now. It’s not like you can access the whole house either, only downstairs.
They’re taking the piss!

JudgeJ · 17/09/2023 22:58

MiddleParking · 17/09/2023 22:33

Yeah that’s insane. These types of places often don’t help themselves.

Holkham Hall's the same and they closed the lovely cafe they had near the entrance and turned it into more accommodation for their hotel!

Clymene · 17/09/2023 23:01

I'm guessing visitors who spend a fiver on a cup of tea and a piece of cake aren't profitable and hours in the playground dor a cheap day out aren't profitable

They're a business.

BlackandGold · 17/09/2023 23:02

We took 4yr old DGS there this summer but then realised we could no longer get to the cafe and playground without paying an entrance fee so we got back in the car and drove somewhere else.
Such a shame; I imagine quite a few of us are doing the same.

Ella31 · 17/09/2023 23:06

I might be wrong but often the upkeep of these places are huge and some have lost funding. Might be a way to stay open as I'd imagine all food costs don't benefit the grounds.

HideousKinky · 17/09/2023 23:15

A few months ago I arranged to meet my daughter for lunch in London at Chelsea Physic Garden and on arrival discovered this same thing - you had to buy a ticket to be able to enter the cafe

MrsCarson · 17/09/2023 23:17

A place near us did that. I used to go there with my mother and Dd and we'd all eat and Dd would play on the playground for a short while. We spent a good chunk of money each week.
Once they got arsey about it we just went elsewhere. The cafe is now a ghost town so I'm told.

User183642 · 17/09/2023 23:19

To be honest whilst I can see the argument for the cafe being outside of the ticketed area (given it has its own revenue streams and you are directly paying for your food and drink) I can’t believe that some of you would have used the playground which costs them actual money to build and maintain without paying admission given it is the admission fees that allow them to maintain it in the first place.

soraya · 17/09/2023 23:38

I wonder if it changed during covid. They couldn't open the house, people were looking to do outside things and maybe just used the playground and loos and didn't spend a penny (no pun intended).

Amummyatlast · 17/09/2023 23:39

I go all the time (as a member) and tbh the cafe always seems rammed, so I don’t think it’s having an impact.

whynotwhatknot · 17/09/2023 23:43

i can see it from a business point of view-theye not making enough to let people hav a cake and tea and sitting there for hours wile their kids played

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 17/09/2023 23:57

JudgeJ · 17/09/2023 22:58

Holkham Hall's the same and they closed the lovely cafe they had near the entrance and turned it into more accommodation for their hotel!

Show quote history

If you’re referring to The Victoria at Holkham they are no longer open to non-residents unless you book a table in the restaurant. So no more popping in for coffee or a cold beer on a hot day. I’m sure they must be losing custom as it was a very popular place to stop off for a drink.

ZiriForEver · 17/09/2023 23:59

You are not unreasonable to go elsewhere.
However, given how your voting is phrased, YABU. They have full right to switch from a public café to visitors only.
Maybe they wanted to reduce number of guests to provide better experience to visitors.

irisretic · 17/09/2023 23:59

HideousKinky · 17/09/2023 23:15

A few months ago I arranged to meet my daughter for lunch in London at Chelsea Physic Garden and on arrival discovered this same thing - you had to buy a ticket to be able to enter the cafe

That has always been the case there though.

HideousKinky · 18/09/2023 11:23

Ah it was my first time there, so I was unaware!

JudgeJ · 20/09/2023 13:35

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 17/09/2023 23:57

If you’re referring to The Victoria at Holkham they are no longer open to non-residents unless you book a table in the restaurant. So no more popping in for coffee or a cold beer on a hot day. I’m sure they must be losing custom as it was a very popular place to stop off for a drink.

Show quote history

I was referring to what was the cafe in a lodge on the opposite side of the main drive from the Victoria, it used to be lovely to sit in the garden there but it must be about 5 years ago that it became extra accommodation for the Victoria, Maybe it was because they had opened the place at the end of the Queen Anne drive, near the beach.

Twistyemily · 20/09/2023 14:09

English Heritage and National Trust properties are primarily for members or paying public to visit. They've moved the cafe, outdoor seating and play area at a NT place near me so that you can't get to them unless you go through reception with your card, or pay for admission. Last time I went the person in front of me was asking why. The answer was that during the holidays and on sunny weekends the car park and cafe were being over-run with families who did not go through and visit the property. It meant that they were running out of parking for actual visitors and the cafe and area around it were over-crowded.

I suppose that makes sense and it does seem fair enough to me. Primarily they are providing refreshments and entertainment for children for actual visitors to the property. I don't suppose there was ever the intention to provide play facilities and refreshments for anyone else. If members and visitors get put off stopping by packed car parks they will end up losing more money than the cost of some drinks and snacks.

cocksstrideintheevening · 20/09/2023 14:16

Our local English heritage did this a couple of years ago because a vast majority of people using the playground were not members and brought a packed lunch with them

Aprilx · 20/09/2023 14:34

If you don’t want to pay £19 to go to a cafe then of course it is not unreasonable for you to go elsewhere.

But I don’t think the establishment has done anything wrong. I am sure they have made a business decision to have a cafe and playground only for paying visitors, seems very reasonable.

hookiewookie29 · 20/09/2023 14:49

We have a farm near us that did this several years ago. Its also a small shopping village.There's a cafe with a small soft play area in it. The entrance to the farm was after the cafe. They then decided to bring the entrance forward so that you then had to pay for entrance to the farm even if you only wanted to go to the cafe even if you just wanted a coffee after shopping.
I haven't been back since they did that.

Itick8outof10boxes · 20/09/2023 16:01

Osbourne House has the cafe and tea terrace before the ticket office and always seems very popular, but play areas are the other side so to speak. We're regular visitors and it is one of the most popular attractions on the Isle of Wight.
Carisbrook castle has a small tea room but that's within the grounds and tucked away near the most famous residents the donkeys.😍