Is it awful to borrow a friend's national trust card to get in free

[Twiglett]

to national trust places

when it is obviously a charity

or is it payback for the disgustingly foul and overpriced food they sell at such places?

Britain's Greatest Mediaeval Experience - yep, it's a theme park!

(note the extra a in mediaeval!)

I don't think it's elitist either. But ime it also isn't always the first thing that springs to mind for some inner city families. And when it does the prices might be offputting if a suck it and see visit is £11+ before you've even got there and ensured that everyone is fed and watered. I do have a few rl families in mind here. They are all lovely people struggling with poor housing, bigger than average families and difficult lives in one way or another. If they wanted to take their kids somewhere that i had a card for (don't worry ye nay-sayers- i don't actually have cards for anywhere!) i would definitely offer to lend it. I couldn't offer to pay them in without seeming patronising and rude but I know that it would be a LOT of money for them and that if they spent it on a day trip they wouldn't have it for other things.

Review of Warwick Castle here , fio - v interesting - says Tussauds took it over in 1978

You can use the blessed St Tesco clubcard vouchers to get in at ¼ price though.

If you can easily afford to pay, I wouldn't see the point in borrowing a friend's card.

Generally though, I think sharing with friends/family is part of life. I wouldn't have any qualms about letting a good friend or member of my family use a travel pass or my concert pass or anything else which didn't have a photo on it.

The case expat mentioned with NH wouldn't be a problem for me personally either. If a friend couldn't get seen to on the NHS because of their immigration status (and was not well off), I wouldn't have a problem letting them use my card for that either.

Of course in all other respects, I am a model citizen....

sssandy. That's how I feel too.

If it's OK to lend your card to someone who couldn't afford to go otherwise then surely it's OK to lend it to anybody though...

Principles, shminciples

My DD2 (Yr 1) is going to Warwick Castle on 3 July and we have had to pay £10.10 per child and this has been subsidised.

It is 3 hours away by bus and I really don't think they will enjoy the experience that much but I didn't want her to miss out.

3 hours EACH WAY? You're kidding! What time are they setting off/coming back? That's mad!

Have to be at school 8-8.15 to leave at 8.30 and will be back at 5. They won't have very long there will they? And they have to do lunch.

They took them to Birmingham Sea Life Centre last year (in Reception).

actually I think that it wasn't bought by Disney yet but the Tussauds Group is owned by Dubai International Capital LLC,which is itself owned by Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum

I prefer the national trust myself and for 75.00 the family can go to any NT property as many times as they want!

STA, that is a truly horrible thing to do to little kids

They will be tired and cross before they even get there, and some of them will be sick - how do the other parents feel about it? I think you should all get together if the school does it again next year and say no, there must be interesting educational days out closer than that - whereabouts are you?

I agree with janh there must be nearer and more suiotable places for young children!

We probably go to a NT property about once or twice a month, but often it's just for an hour or so, or for tea on the way back from somewhere else.
That's what I like - the fact that it doesn't have to be a HUGE all day outing to justify the cost.

Like someone else said, I don't 'get' the elitist argument at all? IMHO it's very good value. I also like the fact that the places are not over-run with horrid play equipment or burger stalls etc etc (Is that why people think it's elitist, 'cos you can't get a McD ? We usually take a picnic....)

we used to take the children to play at Packwood house with it's huge historic yew trees..no pressure to "make the most of it" as though it was a big chore, enjoy it in bite size chunks and always feels like somewhere to go for free on holidays in the uk

I often think I find it pretty hard to think morally on a large scale, janh, and I should do better. I can see yours and expat's and Norma's and zippi's views and even admire them but then that makes me think aww they're so lovely that I'd lend any of em my National Trust card if I had one and if it wouldn't offend their shminciples. Which is bad isn't it?

are most historical houses now nt owned?

JanH Lincolnshire. We did point out last year that Hunstaton was a nearer Sea Life Centre but apparently Birmingham is new and brilliant.

They are learning about castles and somebody said they get to dress up at Warwick? Don't know though as when we thought about going last year the price put us off.

We don't really have any real castles around us.

Yes, they also have some that will be sick. They sit on newspaper apparently it helps. Pleased I am not going as a helper.

Ludicrous, sta. Poor dd and mates. Surely there must be something nearer?

their website is good
here

Not that I can think of SM. Will let you know how they got on!!