Regards,
Ian.
The non-member entrance fee is currently showing as £7.50 - I can't see any mention of an increase but a rise of 50p is hardly startling. As a member I don't pay an entrance fee - a fee wouldn't apply to you, either, as a Life Fellow.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Hi
Yes, our entry fees for non members will be increasing from 1 April. The website will be amended by then, but is currently correct. We didn't increase entry fees last year. The increase for non member adults is very small, from £7.50 to £8 per person.
However, as Clare points out, entry remains free to all RSPB members, and without the support our members we wouldn't be able to manage our nature reserves, campaign for wildlife in the wider countryside, or help you to give nature a home.
Our entry fees from 1 April will be:
adults £8
Children £4
Under 5s free
Families - one child free
Students £5.50.
All RSPB and Wildlife Explorers free.
Entry to shop and cafe only free.
Think you will find the following all free and my guess is lots of others,Arne,Carsington,Coombes Valley,Garston Wood,Greylake,Ham Wall,Lodmoor and Radipole.
Yes that why the RSPB should start charging for more of the reserves. For example there was a charge for Coombes Valley and Arne back in the 1970's, and that was per person, not like at Arne at present with a car parking charge for non-members and the majority of their reserves their was a charge then for non-members then.
Titchwell and The Lodge also charge per car - with so many people driving to each of them it's as good as an entrance fee.
They do need to be careful about what they charge - on the one hand, it needs to be enough to make joining the RSPB a real saving, but not so much that they appear greedy. I suspect Minsmere could well be the highest charge but Minsmere is special - it has so much.
Titchwell also has a public footpath running through it - so charging an entrance fee would be complicated as you couldn't charge someone who wanted to simply walk along the path :-)
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Hi- Titchwell admission IS free if you park in the (small) car park at the start of the footpath. If you visit more than 6 times a year it's worth becoming a member to cover the car parking fees.
Better parking / delineated bays would help but that has been raised here b4.
:)
S
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The RSPB charges either an entry fee or car parking at all of the reserves that offer enhanced visitor facilities - visitor centre, shop, cafe, etc.
Where the main (or all) paths through the reserve are public rights of way we cannot charge an entry fee, so charge for car parking. This applies at Arne, Titchwell, The Lodge, Bempton.
At Minsmere the entry fee is for the hides, nature trails and Wild Zone, but there is no charge for only using the visitor centre.
At most of our quieter reserves access is also via public rights of way so we couldn't charge for entry. In many cases the car park is not ours either.
For example, at North Warren the car park is a local authority pay and display one and all paths are public rights of way.
The only way we could make any charges at most of these reserves would be via a donations box, which we do have on some reserves, but these are often at risk of vandalism and need regular emptying (not always possible at remote sites). In most cases we use signage that makes it clear that the RSPB is managing the land and that we are a charity.
The Minsmere Forum is probably not the area to discuss this policy, or the whys and wherefores of how other reserves charge. I suggest that you write to enquiries@rspb.org.uk to raise this issue if you want further clarification.
Hi Ian,can understand why you are tetchy about the charge,that is quite expensive visit for a family.
The whole idea of the "Give nature a home" project was to encourage new young members.
Goodbye to all that then,if anything would put them off it would be getting charged quite a lot for what is quite a simple wildlife experience.
Best they move to Somerset levels,no charges as far as I can make out for reserves including RSPB,N E and Somerset wildlife with Bitterns,Little Bitterns,Cranes and Great White Egrets plus lots of others.
Unknown said: The RSPB charges either an entry fee or car parking at all of the reserves that offer enhanced visitor facilities - visitor centre, shop, cafe, etc. Where the main (or all) paths through the reserve are public rights of way we cannot charge an entry fee, so charge for car parking. This applies at Arne, Titchwell, The Lodge, Bempton. At Minsmere the entry fee is for the hides, nature trails and Wild Zone, but there is no charge for only using the visitor centre. At most of our quieter reserves access is also via public rights of way so we couldn't charge for entry. In many cases the car park is not ours either. For example, at North Warren the car park is a local authority pay and display one and all paths are public rights of way. The only way we could make any charges at most of these reserves would be via a donations box, which we do have on some reserves, but these are often at risk of vandalism and need regular emptying (not always possible at remote sites). In most cases we use signage that makes it clear that the RSPB is managing the land and that we are a charity. The Minsmere Forum is probably not the area to discuss this policy, or the whys and wherefores of how other reserves charge. I suggest that you write to enquiries@rspb.org.uk to raise this issue if you want further clarification.
Well how is it that that the majority of reserves back in the 1970's had at least a small admission charge for non-members, but at present the majority are free of charge and I'm including also the reserves that have public footpaths including some quiet reserves as well?
Thomo - as I was still at school in the 70s I'm afraid I can't answer that one, except to say that that both RSPB policy and national legislation were very different then. We cannot, for example, charge for access to public rights of way under current legislation. Times, as they say, are very different nowadays. Let's focus on what happens now, as we can't go back 40 years to the 70s.
Ian
Just came in on this and I can't see what the fuss is all about is £3 a month (membership) to much to pay to access all the RSPB's reserves...
www.idps.org.uk/PhilSmithADPS
"Time is precious waste it wisely"
Hi Philipo,think Frank at Weymouth Wetlands would be interesting contact for you,I believe he is enthusiastic wheelchair photographer.
By the way the thread heading is a clue where it is only talking about non-members also rspb membership is as you suggest good value at the price you quote but they would much rather you think in terms of a donation of double that price which I suppose is still good value plus the fact you are contributing to wildlife.