The National Trust has announced it will close more than 130 holiday cottages following a review of their financial sustainability. The conservation charity, which manages over 500 holiday properties across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, will repurpose 137 cottages as long-term rentals.
A National Trust spokesperson said: “We have reviewed our holiday accommodation to ensure all holiday cottages are financially sustainable. As a result, 137 holiday cottages will be repurposed, with most becoming long-term rented homes that support local housing needs.”
The move does not affect properties that are part of the National Trust’s member and visitor offering. Despite the cuts, the charity’s most recent annual report showed that cottages and campsites generated £22.5 million in revenue for 2024-25, up £500,000 from the previous year. However, the report predicted rising costs and a more challenging financial environment ahead.
The announcement comes weeks after the National Trust raised its annual membership fee above £100 for the first time. An individual membership now costs £100.80, a 30 per cent increase since 2022 and a five per cent rise on last year’s price. The Trust said prices are “set carefully, based on what we need to fund our conservation and other work and to account for the costs of conservation typically rising at two to three per cent above the rate of inflation”.
