National Trust to close more than 130 holiday cottages across the UK

The National Trust is set to close over 130 holiday cottages after reviewing their financial sustainability.

Alongside protecting heritage properties, nature reserves and coastlines, Europe’s largest conservation charity also looks after holiday properties, bothies and bunkhouses.

The National Trust has a collection of more than 500 cottages across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but announced this week that 137 of these will be repurposed as long-term rentals.

“We have reviewed our holiday accommodation to ensure all holiday cottages are financially sustainable,” a National Trust spokesperson told The Independent.

“As a result, 137 holiday cottages will be repurposed, with most becoming long‑term rented homes that support local housing needs.”

This move only affects holiday cottages and not properties that are part of the National Trust’s member and visitor offering.

Despite the cuts, the National Trust’s most recent annual report (for 2024-2025) said its cottages and campsites generated £22.5m in revenue, which was a £500,000 more than the previous year.

However, the report predicted that the National Trust would be navigating rising costs and a more challenging financial environment in the following year.

The move was announced weeks after the National Trust said its annual membership had risen to more than £100 for the first time.

An individual annual membership now costs £100.80, a 30 per cent rise since 2022 (£76.80) and a five per cent increase on last year’s price (£96).

In 2016, individual membership fees started at £63.

The National Trust said that 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”.

Read more: National Trust membership fee to rise above £100 for first time