The director general of the National Trust, Hilary McGrady , responds to a Guardian piece which claimed that the organisation’s car parks were ‘bank-breaking’

It’s a shame your otherwise very good Brackenthwaite Hows article started with such an unfair dismissal of how we fund our work, in referring to “stately homes, country mansions, and bank-breaking car parks” (Trust buys mountain revered by Turner for its views, 5 June).

We care for more than 780 miles of coastline and 248,000 hectares of land and nature reserves, as well as pubs, lighthouses and orchards. More than 43% of rainwater in England and Wales drains through National Trust places – this is the lifeblood of our natural environment and it needs serious care and attention. We do our work on behalf of the whole nation as our founders intended. And the vast majority of what we care for is accessible to everyone, free of charge.

Our member services, exhibitions and tea rooms are enjoyed by millions, and they fund all this. Our car parks help too. Just like the Guardian, we need to raise funds and charge people for some services so everyone can benefit.

Hilary McGrady

Director general, National Trust

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