The National Trust has unveiled a new way for people to visit its historic sites for free, including in County Durham and the North East.
The charity, which has several sites in the region, recently revealed that visitor numbers have increased by five per cent to 25.3 million for the 2023/24 financial year despite the cost of living crisis.
While this was true, there was a higher jump in non-members visiting the sites – those who pay on the door – with a 12 per cent year-on-year rise, with membership numbers dropping by 89,000 to 2.62 million members as more people moved to pay on the day.
To combat this, the charity has designed a new Explorer Pass and is offering free passes where it can for those who are unable to afford a visit to National Trust sites.
New National Trust member pass for visitors in County Durham:
Trust director general Hilary McGrady said: “It’s heartening that people still want to spend time in and support amazing cultural and natural places, whether that’s immersing themselves in art or wandering through our gardens and woodlands.
“We know the cost-of-living crisis is still biting and we’ll keep doing more to give everyone a great day out.”
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The National Trust said the insights suggest more people could be prioritising paying for special days out over committing to annual subscriptions due to rising inflation, higher costs and a large drop in household discretionary spending.
The National Trust sites in County Durham, the North East and North Yorkshire are:
- Crook Hall and Gardens
- Durham Coast
- Ormesby Hall
- Roseberry Topping
- Mount Grace Priory
- Braithwaite Hall
- Penshaw Monument
- Washington Old Hall
While the National Trust have these passes in place, they are subject to availability, with more information about the passes available here.
Other locations from the National Trust are available here.
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