National Trust Members, is it true?

[Bernard Jones]

God, here we go again. Why are people so bitter and envious about anyone who earns a decent salary? The National Trust should be thanked, along with all those other organisations that oppose building on beautiful green belt countryside. If it wasn't for them we'd all be living in a concrete jungle.

The NT and others do not oppose building per se. They do not oppose building on the thousands of acres of brownfield sites, just where it will impinge on our ever-diminishing and most beautiful countryside, to the detriment of everyone, rich or poor.

Three things I've learned in life: All those who bang on about allowing more building are the most vociferous when the building site eventually ends up at the bottom of their garden.

All those who bang on about Britain's 'Compensation Culture' and Greedy Lawyers' are the first to run to a law firm when they've suffered an accident.

All those who bang on about greedy businesses and excess profits (I wish!) are usually the meanest and greediest people themselves who'll go to inordinate lengths to save a penny!

Funny old world isn't it, full of hypocrites and mean-spirited folk whose main passion is the politics of envy and who can accuse an organisation such as the NT of 'forcing people to live on 62p a day' just because they (the NT) believe that Britain will be a better place for all if we keep some green spaces! That's one hell of a leap of logic!

One thing's for sure, the owner of this site will never take a massive salary whilst there are people out there too mean to pay a measly fifteen quid a year to help support it. Perhaps they think that it's already making him a millionaire? After all, all businessmen are filthy rich aren't they? It's really easy in business and none of us ever go bust!

Your cynicism explains your attitude.
I have news for you.
Not everyone is only out to look after themselves.
I am very comfortably housed.
But it doesn't stop me caring about those who aren't.
Can't you understand that at all?
Or do you really believe everone only cares about themselves?

 

[Northerner]

Your cynicism explains your attitude.
I have news for you.
Not everyone is only out to look after themselves.
I am very comfortably housed.
But it doesn't stop me caring about those who aren't.
Can't you understand that at all?
Or do you really believe everone only cares about themselves?

Yes, I care about the unhoused but I'm not so daft as to blame their plight on the National Trust! And from the attitude of some on this forum towards some very worthwhile charities, which they seem to despise simply because the chief executive is paid a decent salary, yes, there does appear to be people who are only interested in themselves. What give to Oxfam! No way, did you know that the chief executive gets £150K p.a.? It doesn't matter if children starve, I'm not supporting a charity where they actually pay people the going rate. My socialist principles far outweigh dying Africans!

And here's another bit of news for you. You constantly bang on about how, as 'we' own the National Trust properties, we should be allowed to view them free of charge or without paying an annual membership fee.

Can't you see that the only reason the NT has these properties, is because of the funds it obtains from membership and admission fees? If it didn't have this income how could it purchase more and extend its portfolio?

Perhaps you'd rather have free entry to no properties than pay a small amount to visit hundreds?

I know, we could all get New Zealand membership because it's half price and then the NT would have no income and have to close down? Never mind though, we could all go to New Zealand I suppose and view their massive range of castles and stately homes. Remind me, how many castles and stately homes does the N.Z. N.T. have? I think that you may well find that, when it comes to the number of attractions pro rata to the cost of membership, that the N.Z. N.T. membership is damn expensive!

But what does that matter, they pay their top people less than here in the U.K. and that's all that's important!

 

[jeffers]

One thing's for sure, the owner of this site will never take a massive salary whilst there are people out there too mean to pay a measly fifteen quid a year to help support it. Perhaps they think that it's already making him a millionaire? After all, all businessmen are filthy rich aren't they? It's really easy in business and none of us ever go bust!

This makes very uncomfortable reading for me, as a new and thus far free member. Is this the kind of site that looks down on free members as mean?
I dont take kindly to that sort of insinuation.

 

[Bernard Jones]

And here's another bit of news for you. You constantly bang on about how, as 'we' own the National Trust properties, we should be allowed to view them free of charge or without paying an annual membership fee.

I have better things to do than to work through all that diatribe, so I will just pick that bit out.

WHERE DID I SAY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VISIT NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTIES FREE OF CHARGE??

Go fight your straw men somewhere else.

May I also inform you that you we have to pay £150k +++ salaries to Oxfam to feed the starving. If you didn't go round with your nose in the air you would see we have got them here in Britain. Both the big issue and Shelter have documented people dying on the streets of Britain from hyperthermia and malnutrition. We have food bank collections in supermarkets. Just go out on the streets and give them a few quid. At least then you can see where your money is going.

 

[Bernard Jones]

This makes very uncomfortable reading for me, as a new and thus far free member. Is this the kind of site that looks down on free members as mean?
I dont take kindly to that sort of insinuation.

Its not site policy I am sure, its just ad hominen from one member, because he is losing the argument he resorts to a personal attack.

Either that or he only understands the sort of respect you can buy.

 

[Admin]

Ok I think that this thread is now close to moderation. Please please let's be nice to each other and if we you cannot please do it in private and not on a public forum.

 

[Bernard Jones]

Yes, I care about the unhoused but I'm not so daft as to blame their plight on the National Trust!

OK. Can I just ask you nicely what you don't understand about the National Trust preventing house building and thereby restricting the supply of housing forcing up house prices? Basic supply and demand?
Can you not see any connection between high house prices and homeless people?
Nobody is suggesting demolishing any National Trust properties to build housing. Just build on a little of the 91% of this countries land area that is undeveloped. Just look on Google Maps. We are not short of land.
When the National Trust spend millions of pounds on taking vast areas of land like Wickam Fen out of production, can you really not see the effect that has on food prices?

 

[Channa]

This makes very uncomfortable reading for me, as a new and thus far free member. Is this the kind of site that looks down on free members as mean?
I dont take kindly to that sort of insinuation.

jeffers i think it would be fair to suggest every full member was a free member before electing to subscribe,

indeed prior to free membership lurked as visitor

this current debate it seems is being exchanged by two folk with very forthright views, thats all,

new members, status aside i am sure are always welcome,everyone has something to contribute

for yourself and others dont let one thread or comment prejudice your opinion of the site

channa

 

[Wind Dancer]

WHERE DID I SAY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VISIT NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTIES FREE OF CHARGE??

To be fair BJ, you said it several times in your previous posts.

I know because I could not understand why you wanted to turn NT sites into building sites, but yet you also wanted to enjoy visiting them - for free

As I looked back in the thread to find these comments, I see that you have 'edited' several of your posts.

When you took exception to my post about the NT, I said that I respected people had differing views. I still do. I cannot understand why you feel that you have to (single handedly), oppose EVERYbody who says something positive about this national charity.

I think it is time to agree to to differ and put this to rest. :cool1:

The only reason I am posting this on the forum is because I cannot PM you.

Wind Dancer - Author of posts 41 & 42. :wave:

 

[Bernard Jones]

To be fair BJ, you said it several times in your previous posts.

I know because I could not understand why you wanted to turn NT sites into building sites, but yet you also wanted to enjoy visiting them - for free

As I looked back in the thread to find these comments, I see that you have 'edited' several of your posts.

I sometimes write things in a hurry, then when I read them realise they could be misinterpreted so edit it. But I never said all NT sites could be free, only that some sites abroad, like Normandy Battlefields, (not Stately homes which are obviously expensive to maintain) are free. I understand moderators can read what has been edited, and as they are obviously covering this thread they will see that.

The NT has huge income from estates they have inherited, they don't only have admission charges etc. And as three Directors have doubled their income to well over £220k in the last 8 years they are not my idea of a charity.

Sure I enjoy visiting NT properties, but when they prevent houses being built or food being grown on unused areas of land I think they are doing more harm than good. Because, although I am well fed and housed myself, I agree witht he Guardian article in that affordable food and homes for them is more important than my Nimby National Trust View

 

[Bernard Jones]

I used to live not far from there and loved going up to visit the stones regularly. I also went during summer solstice, and that was an enlightening experience :dance:

I still go these days, and still love it.

With the comments made on here about Stonehenge, I googled to see if I could find out why it was fenced off (I remember the fence being remove, but then it went back up again) and found the following information:


Stonehenge: The Last 100 Years | Heritage Key
(excerpt from above)
Stonehenge was, to put it mildly, a British treasure in a real mess. And its predicament came to the fore at the turn of the 20th century, when sarsen stone number 22 fell from its position and took a lintel with it. A public outcry at Stonehenge’s desertion, twinned with media pressure from the famed archaeologist Sir William Flinders Petrie, led to the government taking action to find someone who could restore the ailing monument to its past glory.
snip
An appeal for money to buy back the area resulted in its ownership by the National Trust, who have since maintained its relative purity and added facilities such as a visitor centre, security and admission prices. This has helped the maintenance of the site immensely.

------------------------------

Also in 2008 VANDALS used a hammer and screwdriver to damage the Heel Stone at Stonehenge
The suspects were caught on CCTV going to the stones on another day but were chased off by security.

Is this a joke?

I have never stopped at Stonehenge, only driven past when it was closed so you couldn't get near it, but keep seeing it voted the worst place to visit in Britain
Here is one link, I have seen others -
Where not to spend your bank holiday: a guide to Britain's worst days out | Travel | The Observer

 

[scampa]

Is this a joke?

I have never stopped at Stonehenge

No doubt some of your points may be valid, and like each of us you are fully entitled to share your views. Personally though, I'm not impressed with the way that you seem to treat some other members views with utter contempt.

I suspect that the only way to please you would be for everyone here to pretend to agree with you, and to promise to join the Timbukto NT instead of the NT for England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Thanks to everyone who has given constructive info in response to the OP's original question, I've found it all very useful!

 

[Admin]

Thanks to everyone who has given constructive info in response to the OP's original question, I've found it all very useful!

So I guess this means this thread has served its purpose and is now closed