End of an era.

I'm a member of both the RHS and NT and use the free entry a few times a year. With the RHS you can also take a guest free at their own gardens which makes it excellent value (not the partner gardens though). I just think the shows are overpriced and the member discount is a mere token, it doesn't save you much. If it was for example half price I would probably pay that now and again.

 

@Busy-Lizzie I don't want to read any magazine online. I want it to hand to leaf thru at my leisure, usually at bedtime, to take with me when I go to an appointment and may have to wait and need a read, to share pics and articles with fellow plant and garden enthusiasts and so on. Can't do that online. Not too much to ask to get a magazine on time and each month.

 

@Obelix-Vendée , I agree, I prefer a real magazine for those reasons. I used to get GW and the RHS magazine sent to France, then they wouldn't do it after Brexit. I've from people here that the French Post ask them to pay extra to deliver magazines. Not the RHS fault, yet another result of Brexit.

 

To each his/her/their own when it comes to trudging through NT/NTS stately homes and castles, usually herded in groups by a Guide these days. I used to enjoy mooching around such places in my own good time but have stopped visiting any who insist on 'guided' tours. A couple of minutes in each room and then off you go and stare at another one for two minutes.....yawn. At least out in the gardens you're allowed to take your time and look at the things you want to look at. I've never been interested in becoming a member, less so nowadays.

 

I’m not keen on guided tours either @Tinkerton. To be honest we’ve done very few if any interiors on our NT visits, it’s the grounds and gardens we enjoy. We did enjoy some of the interior Christmas displays last December, we bagged some free tickets via the Martin Lewis website. It was those visits and some NT gardens we had done with our GW 2-for-1 card which prompted us to join.

 

@Busy-Lizzie I've never been asked to pay for magazine delivery and, so far, our local post service (sorting and delivery) have been exceptionally helpful. I think the main problem is that the RHS farmed out delivery to a Dutch delivery service and they are lacking in commitment to talk to the various postal services involved in order to deliver their contracted service.

 

I'm not quite there yet, but thanks for the info! I didn't know that.

 

We've been NT members for years but are seriously considering cancelling. As @Tinkerton says, the move to guided tours is a pain, although we haven't suffered too many of those. We simply don't get enough use out of them anymore as we have little within about 50 miles of us. Just the cost of getting there is definitely a factor. The NT heirarchy's seeming desire to rewrite history to suit their political viewpoint is another factor.