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Original poster

National Trust

181 replies

UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 14:48

AIBU to think the National Trust have made the wrong decision to allow free entry in the current Covid-19 pandemic?

I live near a NT site and the place has been swarmed today, cars abandoned all over the place and mass swarms of people of all ages congregating in quite a small area.

Surely this goes against the advise of social distancing?

What were the NT thinking when they made this decision I do not know but there is a difference between going out to get some fresh air on a country walk as opposed the opening up well known tourist attractions for the masses to descend on and socialise.

OP posts:
Yeafortwo · 21/03/2020 15:59

Recognized Ashridge immediately! It looks like that whenever the sun comes out but omg I can't believe people doing that after all the press conferences and wall to wall news on this! Utter madness.

Yeafortwo · 21/03/2020 16:00

Agree that they can't spread out enough, Ashridge doesn't have any gates or turnstiles as such but most people follow a certain track and if it lingers in the air then no way you'd escape it.

TabbyMumz · 21/03/2020 16:01

"TabbyMumzI don't resent continuing to pay my membership as it goes towards the upkeep of the grounds/properties"

I do!!! So I've paid for a year and everyone else gets in free!! I'm paying for everyone else!

Floralnomad · 21/03/2020 16:01

I must admit I’m a bit ticked off that they opened to everyone with little regard for the people who pay their membership fees , I think they should have asked for members opinions first .

Doje · 21/03/2020 16:01

We've been out to one today, and yes it was also busy.

However, due to the size of the parkland we all managed to give each other more than enough space.

I think it will calm down soon. It's a lovely saturday, they've just announced it, and things seem quite normal still. We pretty much went because I read about it this week. People will soon space out when they go. And I think it's a nice gesture that encourages fresh air and exercise.

Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 16:01

@frillyfarmer that's bad parking along a country road like that!
Some people have no sense whatsoever.
It's the locals who suffer too from this selfish behaviour with the parking.

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Watchagotcha · 21/03/2020 16:05

I thjnk it’s the wrong decision. If you open spaces and dont control access, everyone will want access and you can’t prevent them. Here in France all public open spaces are closed and being patrolled by police - parks, woodlands, riversides etc. Experience has shown that people cannot abide by distancing rules when they are allowed free access to open spaces.

Weebitawks · 21/03/2020 16:06

@TabbyMumz but it's a charity ! I duno I always took the view with the national trust that if I get my money's worth that's great but they do a great job looking after historical properties and woodland so even if I don't get out much to them, it's a win win!

A lot of people are going through scary, uncertain times and if going to some nice spaces for free cheers them up, I can't begrudge it.

Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 16:14

@Watchagotcha
Yes I think that's my main concern is that people can't abide by the self distancing advise.
Giving a free pass to all this space only encourages mass gatherings.
Wasn't this the reason Glastonbury got cancelled? And that's an outdoor space too.

OP posts:
LittleRootie · 21/03/2020 16:19

UncleBillyLostHisWilly

People aren't crammed in, they aren't sitting together in an enclosed space coughing and spreading their germs that way. The likelihood of it being passed on by touching gates etc is very low. You can't compare this to Glastonbury where huge crowds are squashed in together!

Kurzgesagt · 21/03/2020 16:32

Took the dog out for a walk this am. Part my route involved walking through the car park of a local open farm. I presumed it would be quiet but no the car park was packed, loads of families with toddlers etc equally whole lot more people in groups of 4 or more strolling through the country park next door, cyclists in groups, runners !
I think people really don’t get the seriousness of it all. I’m back at work tomorrow, we have several critically ill patients with it, not all elderly ...

vegas888 · 21/03/2020 16:34

So true!

National Trust
Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 16:42

@vegas888
So true!

OP posts:
Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 16:43

@Kurzgesagt
It's dawned on me now how serious it is, took a few weeks to though.
Best wishes for work tomorrow.

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ThomasHardyPerennial · 21/03/2020 16:44

I agree Weebitawks, and I am happy to keep paying my membership because I want to continue to support them.

frillyfarmer · 21/03/2020 16:47

I've seen NT fountains abbey has just announced on insta they are shutting today and tomorrow for the safety of their staff. I'd bet quite a lot of money it's due to the influx of visitors they have had today.

Ironically we never really see other dog walkers on any of our three daily walks but today, on being asked to stay at home, every man and his dog is out. People are just stupid.

LostStars39 · 21/03/2020 16:49

Ours was absolutely heaving, the car park was full and people were parking on the side of the roads for what seemed like miles 🙄

Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 16:57

@frillyfarmer yes that's where I am near, it's mental, it really is.

We are all advised to stay in as much as we can where possible and don't make unnecessary outings, yet a day out at Fountains Abbey is certainly not a necessary outing at all, it's a fully fledged day out not somewhere you come for a quick walk and go home.

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MrsExpo · 21/03/2020 17:03

Same story here, sadly. Our local NT place is rammed today. They need to close completely or at least police numbers to avoid crowds.

What happened to “no unnecessary journeys”. I fear this might be the start of total lock down if people can’t behave responsibly.

Pedallleur · 21/03/2020 17:03

Been out to Malham today. Lovely but cold. Plenty of people out walking. Life has to carry on. If you are queuing in supermarkets or booze busters you can go walking or bike riding. Food shopsbdo a take away service so people are keeping those rural shops open

Original poster
UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 21/03/2020 17:04

@Pedallleur but people are being advised against those things too they just aren't paying attention.

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Kurzgesagt · 21/03/2020 17:09

UncleBillyLostHisWilly thanks !
We have a touring caravan near fountains abbey (pateley b). Now the kids are off, we were so tempted to nip over there this weekend and go for a walk round studley royal but it's just not worth the risk.

JudyCoolibar · 21/03/2020 17:15

YABU. If people weren't going to NT gardens they would be filling the local parks. Exercise is pretty important in terms of building up and maintaining resistance.

LakieLady · 21/03/2020 17:27

Not NT, but from our house, we can see across the valley to a golf club.
Their car park is really busy, busier than a normal weekend.

I don't really know about golf, but I do know that they have changing rooms and shite, as well as bars and restaurants.

How come they're not closed?

Thesearmsofmine · 21/03/2020 17:28

I think if they had kept it open for members then it would have been ok. I’m a NT member but we decided against going because I just knew it would be rammed. We went to Yorkshire Sculpture Park as you have to pay for parking, we got there early and it was quiet but by the time we left at around 12 it was heaving. People going through gates one after another and hue queues for the toilets.