National Trust properties celebrate surge in visitor numbers
Last updated 1/27/2012 1:59:24 PM
National Trust properties celebrate surge in visitor numbers
The National Trust saw a substantial increase in its visitor numbers, and retail and catering sales in December compared to the previous Christmas, it's revealed.
There were more than half-a-million (521,000) visitors to Trust properties in December 2011, an increase of 74 per cent on the previous year.
Factors affecting the large jump in visitor numbers include the mild weather and an increasing number of properties running Christmas-themed activities and decorating stately homes for Christmas. Over forty Trust pay-for-entry properties were open during the weekends in December. Attingham in Shropshire saw its busiest ever weekend.
The Trust is on target to have its best ever year for visitor numbers to its pay-for-entry properties, exceeding 18 million visitors for the first time in its history .The retail business, which includes high street shops, shops at properties and online sales, saw an increase in sales of 24 per cent and the cafes and restaurants had a 71 per cent increase in sales in December 2011 compared to the same month in 2010. In the year to date retail sales have increased by 8 per cent and catering has so far seen a 14 per cent increase in sales.
Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, said: "In these economically tough times the National Trust seems to have swum against the tide with these fantastic results. As the nation tightens its collective belt people have been looking for great value and places where they can get a real feel for Christmas."
Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust, added: "This shows that arts and heritage charities not dependent on government grants appear to be experiencing a surge in trading income."