The National Trust Swindon reviews

★★★★★ 4/5

Trustpilot

Great properties

I have now changed my review. Initially, I'd awarded 2 stars due to considerable misinformation regarding trying to use a gift card towards membership. I eventually got through to support services and they quickly and kindly resolved the matter and I was able to reinstate my membership easily. Just so that you do not face the same problems I faced, here is what I learned - you can not use a gift card towards membership, unless you do so at a property and pay the remainder in full, cant be used with direct debit options.

Mandy · 6 August 2017

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Hurrah for the staff at Hardy’s Cottage

Excellent volunteer guide (David?) who was clear, very knowledgeable and helpful. Checked our level of experience and gave us a lot of contextual information which brought the place to life. Well-organised, manageable group in small rooms. All the staff were helpful and friendly.It is a lovely house but the volunteer staff really made the day for us.

Judith · 30 March 2023

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

I am shocked at the negative reviews on …

I am shocked at the negative reviews on this amazing organisation, If it wasnt for the National trust we wouldnt have not only historical houses but also beautiful countryside and not forgetting amazing coastal walks and landscapes, they also protect butterflies and birds etc.As for membership it is really cheap i bought this with my partner and after only 4 visits anywhere in the country it is paid for of which i have been to dozens. Also it is the job of the staff to sell membership when you enter the reception areas they are not being rude or aggressive more passionate about their cause and you can say no! but i cant for the life of me think of any reason of why anybody would say no. I urge everybody to join the National Trust and get out there and visit all the amazing places and walks they offer and dont forget they are a charity.

Paula · 29 June 2017

★★★★★ 4/5

Google

Not just an HQ building... Heelis has a lovely National Trust gift shop and an upscale café at the front of the ground floor. Formerly overlooked by many shoppers as the public areas were not obvious from the outside. Now much easier to spot with tables and chairs and café signage outside. A refurbishment in April 2017 has made the interior much more vibrant and welcoming, including an improved café on the right, the shop moved to the centre, and a new reception, members' and volunteers' area on the left. Great service from the café today. Reception staff were very keen to discuss the positive changes, still in progress.

Sheridan · 19 June 2017

★★★★★ 4/5

Trustpilot

Value for money!

I have had some great times with my partner at the National Trust sites that we've visited so far. I think the membership is worth the money and would urge others to become a part of this amazing organisation. Sometimes you still have to pay for parking and entrance fees to some of the featured historical sites/places which is my only criticism, however it still does pose very good value for money and keeps these places alive for our future generations to come.

Christopher · 15 May 2017

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

Legalised Scam National Trust & Forestry Commission

We bought national Trust family membership so everytime we arrived at a country forest park someone wasnt standing with their grubby hands out demanding cash to go for a walk & park the car ,but so far on a visit to Tollymore & Castlewellan we have been asked to pay to use the car park apparently something to do with the forestry commision which is basically the tree end of the National Trust they are linked in every single way imaginable , as usual it's scamming the working class to keep those in the club in their high paying jobs and properties . Totally disgraceful i will not be paying twice for the same walk cancelling membership and urge anyone else to check out what membership actually gets you which is basically sweet '''' all .

Bill · 17 April 2017

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

4th year of purchasing a joint…

4th year of purchasing a joint membership but even if there are vouchers out there to get a discount(4 I found) you just cant get anything off! When I approached them about this and sent oics they have ignored me!You have to prebook to use Hatfield Forest at weekends which is a pain too! All seems to be downhill now👎

Robert · 11 December 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They have not sent our new cards for last 5 months

They have not sent our new cards since August, so we have been charged full price/non-member price at each sites we visited for the last 5 months AND paid the monthly subscription.When I complained about it I was told that NT were unable to do anything about it ?!?!?!.When I asked to cancel, they said they would charge us until July 2020 !!!When, really they should at least refund us the last 5 months of subscription...

L · 30 December 2019

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

conkers on the 444 clumber park

most disapointing i was expecting woods ,but half the trees have been cut down to make way for kids play park and no poop bins anywhere just bags off poo thrown on the side lodes of it all threw the park was very very disapointing and clumber park no poo bins for dogs to be seen .i feel as a paying client this should be addressed and having to carry dog poo round with me makes it a very expencive day or a hour or even 15 mins i dont want to litter our country side so i cut my walk short to take poo home ........

Jackie · 2 March 2017

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Dreadful service

Placed an order - by phone, because online payment wasn't working. Found out four days later that the order had never actually been placed, so they said they would rush it out (as it was for Christmas). A week later, still no parcel, so I rang again and it hadn't been sent until four days after my last call - and not even by first class post, despite the fact that they charge £5 for postage. So I asked for a refund of the postage and "Customer services" couldn't even offer that. Will never buy from them again.

Liz · 20 December 2016

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Disgusted that the NT are not delaying…

Disgusted that the NT are not delaying memberships by the months that the membership cannot be used. This is a service we have paid a lot of money for and are unable to use. I know it's not the NT fault that we are in this situation but other companies are all either giving refunds or extending the memberships. Will not be renewing my membership. Very poor service indeed and not interested in their membership.

Phillip · 19 April 2020

★★★★★ 4/5

Trustpilot

Poor renewal practices

I bought this for my daughter's family last year and they've enjoyed it. So I wanted to renew it for them and had to wait for the renewal letter to arrive. You'd think it should be a simple process. I tried to renew online - I couldn't. New memberships only. Why not renew online? They seem to make it deliberately impossible for you. They suggest automatic direct debit - no thanks, I'll decide when I want to pay and when I want to stop paying. So then you can phone them, if you want to pay 12p a minute and no doubt take quite a while doing that. It looks like I have no choice but to send them a cheque, but with that, I give up all hope of receiving the renewal pack by Xmas :(

Susan · 5 December 2016

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

An absolutely hateful advert...woke…

An absolutely hateful advert...woke madness.

Ian · 28 June 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

National Distrust

Booking service useless. Unable to visit any local attractions and as I'm working full time in the health service I can't get on line when the National Trust decides to release the tickets for the following week. What a miserable way to manage the booking process. Destroyed good reputation in an instant. Will reconsider membership again. Have booked for Eden Project and other attractions without a problem. Why so different at The National Trust

PeterH · 27 June 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Valued Organisation

When all said and done we are big supporters of the Trust and value the work they do

E · 19 September 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

New Members - No Cards or Welcome Pack

Despondent to read all the reviews similar to my own experience. Terrible cistomer service, NT don't respond to emails but were happy to take our money. I think that's now lost, but they'll not see a penny from me again. Shambles, and I mistakingly though NT had a good reputation. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Westy · 29 June 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Computer system is rubbish!!!!

UPDATE! My local national trust is fully booked right up until the 14th of June. SO WHAT IM I GETTING FROM MY MEMBERSHIP!!!!!Stop sending emails tell me it's all going well! Because Who put that computer system in! Rubbish. Can't book for love or money. Before this I would walk my dog at 8am. Now not open until 10am! I can't get to the booking even at that time!!! We all should be refunded!!!!

Kathy · 5 June 2020

★★★★★ 3/5

Trustpilot

Too pushy about joining up as a member

Great properties if a little overpriced. Shops way over priced. However always a very pleasant experience but for the ticket staff who more often than not will not take 'no thank you' for an answer when they try to get you to sign up for membership. They have an answer for everything and will not let it go. At times I have found this quite farcical and sometimes I find them even a little aggressive. I find myself rehearsing how to say 'No' in a nice but permanent way as I approach the kiosks. I feel this over-zealousness on their part has left my NT visits with a sour taste.

Poppy · 2 June 2015

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Time to cancel my membership

Time to cancel my membership. As a family I used my trust membership to turn up on the day when the weather was decent. This new booking system is not good. I'm not just going to book things online for the sake of it as it means people miss out when I dont turn up. So until they they review there outdoor and booking policy im cancelling until things are back to normal.

Customer · 13 September 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

NT Wokey parker = gone …

Good to see the NT commissar wokey parker loose his position as the big woke cheif. Of to Siberia with you ! Other ignorant wokey goons will also be removed from the NT soon. Their ignorance about history is laughable and dangerous. Where are the woke stars going to spread their muck next ? Wokey parker and Co need to be re-educatedone. NT is about preserving History not perverting history.

Carl · 27 May 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Why is the Eventbrite booking service…

Why is the Eventbrite booking service for Knole Not allowing me to print tickets For a visit I booked at 12.00 on Friday 28th August?

William · 23 August 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Selfish greed

Woke agenda to appease apart of a community that would likely not visit these sites very often, covering up Victorian nude statues because they offend (done at one site before the pandemic-- the Nazis had a habit of doing that!), massively hiking car parking fees, and finally having the temerity to ask for a donation on signs screwed to 'open site' access gates. Why support SUCH SELFISH GREED?!!!!!!!!!!

Greg · 24 September 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

So glad to be back

So glad to be back! One of our favourite places to visit as a family, especially now we’ve got a long summer to fill before the kids head back.Thanks NT, for looking after us so well. Working in the hospitality industry and totally understand the need to reopen carefully and safely.Gorgeous site and couldn’t have been better looked after - not sure about reviews re: difficulties with booking: possibly just grumpy old technophobes?!

Lizzie · 15 July 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

The new booking is totally flawed

The new booking is totally flawed. Why only release a week at a time? Why not limit the number of times the same person can visit so that your fully paid members can actually get to use their membership? No wonder you are making a loss as people cancel membership because you cannot figure out that huge open spaces do not need limited numbers of people. Get a grip NT!!

CE · 7 April 2021