The crisis at the heart of the National Trust

When Tim Parker announced his resignation as chairman of the National Trust last week, it was a first. Since it was founded in 1895, the Trust has endured many controversies, but until now the shared acceptance of its founding purposes has seen it through. The very first meeting proposed a body ‘for the holding of lands of natural beauty and sites and houses of historic interest to be preserved intact for the nation’s use and enjoyment’. The National Trust continued thus ever since, enforced by Acts of Parliament. This unity of purpose as a conservation organisation enabled it to become the owner of more than 600,000 acres of land and 200 historic houses, with nearly six million members — the greatest heritage organisation in the world.

Yet Mr Parker’s position proved vulnerable. In early April, a body called Restore Trust, which had been privately preparing since January, went public. As its name implies, it wants the Trust to return to its original principles. Restore Trust immediately attracted thousands of members, tens of thousands of pounds and lively contributions to its website in which members, volunteers and former staff reported, to coin a phrase, ‘lived experience’ about the dismaying changes taking place.

Restore Trust drew up resolutions for the Trust’s AGM in October. The first expressed no confidence in Mr Parker and called for his resignation. A few days after this appeared in the press, his departure was announced.

How did it come to this? Acute symptoms surfaced last year. The difficulties caused by Covid were genuine and great —shutting down NT properties, sacking staff, losing membership (it is now falling towards five million, despite 25 per cent discounts) and £227 million of budgeted revenue. The Trust’s ‘volume strategy’ of pursuing ever-higher membership numbers left it exposed. Yet the charity’s leadership chose this grim moment to join the culture war.