National Trust Loophole by joining Scotland using in England
Options
Comments
-
We have been members of the English National trust for 2 years now but find it expensive.We will not be rejoining when our subscription expires at the end of January. We will be looking to join either the Scottish National Trust or the New Zealand Heritage instead and they represent better value for money. As we see it the Scottish National Trust has the advantage of free parking. Whilst the New Zealand Heritage, we understand includes entry to English Heritage properties. Both these schemes are open to non residents.0
-
From post #10...National Trust for Scotland membership definitely includes free car parking in England and Wales.
From post #50...Stan.In.Devon wrote: »Given that this particular topic is about the Scottish NT then I can confirm (having visited Killerton, Devon today) that the new (ish) payment machines at English NT car parks specifically say that given you can't scan the Scottish card and get a ticket to display, then all you need to do is display the windscreen sticker that accompanies Scottish National Trust membership.
[...]
Recently I had a look at the signage on the ticket machine and nearby in NT's Corfe Castle car park in Dorset, and there was no mention whatsoever of what you should do if you were a National Trust for Scotland (NTS) member.
The only text I can find on the NTS website is on this FAQ page where it says this...
(My bolding.)Does my NTS membership give me access to NT sites?
Yes. We have an agreement with other similar organisations around the world that means your NTS Membership gives you free entry to their places too - see the full list here. Where free parking is offered to National Trust members it also applies to NTS members.
The situation regarding free parking at NT car parks for NTS members seems a bit hazy, given that it seems likely the National Trust is going to start enforcing the requirement to have a car parking ticket (at car parks without a staffed entry barrier at least) in 2018, now that all NT members should be in possession of a scannable membership card.0 -
I found the discussion about the "morals" of taking an alternative membership interesting. I don't visit NT properties enough to make any membership a sensible thing to do although when I last went to a property I thought they did everything to take as much money as they could and when paying for me and some guests it added up to a sizeable amount. I never worked out why I should give them x but x plus a bit if I wanted to use gift aid!
In any event NT England charges more because they pray on the ignorance of the membership and those smart enough to know make alternative arrangements. NT England also make the rules about parking as opaque as possible so they can dissuade as many as possible from taking the cheaper route.
If I did join it would be via NT Antarctica if that was a paying proposition and before there are any lectures consider the way NT England operate.0 -
I have a joint NZ Heritage membership. I quite like visiting NT properties but they are expensive. I have renewed mine last week and based on exchanged rates, I paid £48 including postage to the UK. It is very good value. I like also the fact that it allows us to visit any English Heritage properties (e.g. love the one in Saffron Walden as its close to a miniature railway, fab day out). It doesn't include free parking but I don't think NT and EH patrol their car parks anyway.
It is about moneysaving to me.0 -
Thats good to know, you can park illeagley as they dont enforce! Good stuff (ps I know "illeagally" is not correct, but you know what I mean.0
-
Looking at the National Trust of Scotland website it says this on the joining page
FREE PARKING
Parking at National Trust for Scotland car parks, with downloadable passes as soon as you join
So it looks as if it is only Scottish NT properties you can park free at ?
I can't find anything in the FAQ's to make it clear if you pay or not for parking at English National Trust properties.
Anybody tried this recently ?0 -
Many thanks for that !!!55357;!!!56898;0
-
Although I'm all for saving money. Isn't the whole point of the National Trust is that it is funded by its members and it's donations. If you want to visit these beautiful places keep them running and keep them owned by the National Trust surely the whole point is to make sure you give them your money. Joining the Scottish National Trust I'm quite happy with because it's still a National Trust bank account it goes into but joining overseas the National Trust does not benefit in any way whatsoever. Therefore all you're doing is trampling all over the property causing it to deteriorate and not contributing to its repair. You may benefit today but your children will lose out tomorrow #justsaying0
-
Stan.In.Devon wrote: »Obviously we're all fully entitled to share our views and opinions, as is the case here - and, of course, no-one would argue that that's anything other than absolutely fine. But I wish the detractors would come up with an original or, at least, slightly different, argument coz those here who have chosen to subscribe to alternative (legitimate) means of entry (alternative to the English National Trust, that is) have heard it all before.... so many, many times.
Why the need for an 'original, or slightly different argument'?
There is only the one argument really - by manipulating the generous reciprocal arrangements which the National Trust has with certain other bodies you're depriving the National Trust of the money it needs to maintain the properties you're so keen to visit but don't want to pay for.
Those other bodies, as you well know, have reciprocal arrangements to benefit their members living in the relevant locations (Scotland and New Zealand, for example). The National Trust did not intend to extend cost-free membership rights to people living in England who just prefer not to give it any money.
The fact that you can - for now - get away with it doesn't make it right, any more than forging an entrance ticket is right. You may try to justify it, with the usual trite arguments about spending in the shop etc, but you can apply that to any situation where you just don't want to pay for something that requires payment.
If you're happy about cheating the NT out of money - fine. But the sooner they introduce the requirement to produce proof of residence in the relevant country, as well as the membership card, the better.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.5K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.9K Spending & Discounts
- 235.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.3K Life & Family
- 248.3K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards