Re: There is no place quite like it.. | Forum

Mustard Dec 19, 2013 10:06:37

Replying to common era

common era wrote:

Whilst it looks great and is hopefully better than the overcrowded old facility, the bit that I had the hardest part to swallow was that ticket prices are almost doubling. I have visited Stonehenge a few times in the past few years, mostly to take visitors from overseas there who wanted to see it as part of a journey to these shores and always thought it was expensive to begin with.

I hate sounding Grinchy, but sorry EH, £14.90 adult entry is a lot of money to me. Yes, I know the money helps fund this and other projects, but it now seems like a very expensive day out (not that you would get close to a full day there anyway).

Totally agree. I can afford the £15, but it would certainly put me off a casual visit. More importantly, it puts the stones outside the price range of anyone who isn't on a reasonable income. £30 for two adults to walk around Stonehenge? I think that's appalling, really. What annoys me the most is the complete lack of any attempt at compromise. Why not have less popular dates/time-slots at reduced rates, so there's at least an option there for people who can't afford the full price? The vast majority of visitors arrive in coach parties, so introducing some kind of off-peak access would be unlikely to significantly eat into revenue.

tjj Dec 19, 2013 10:43:59

Replying to Mustard

I've just rung English Heritage with a few questions: firstly, if you are a National Trust member you don't have to pay (as before). When I asked about walking up from Larkhill or Amesbury the answers became more vague. In theory you would be stopped and asked for either your membership card or entrance sticker (because this is only fair to everyone else apparently).

I also asked if it is ok to wander up there on Xmas Day or Boxing Day when it is officially closed - the person on the other end of the phone was valiantly non-committal and said she wasn't sure what the security arrangements would be. Perhaps it should be tested out ...

Rhiannon Dec 19, 2013 14:08:09

Replying to Mustard

But it's like that everywhere though, isn't it. My sister said it was 18 quid to get into westminster abbey the other day. (and it's 25 just to go up the shard. Though I appreciate that's not exactly a national institution just yet).

(and, ranting, once upon a time if you didn't have a job you got into places for cheap. but now you are just officially a workshy scrounger of course and shouldn't be sullying the view of decent hardworking families etc.)

But anyway. You could see it as a good opportunity for EH to make some money out of willing tourists. Which they can feed back into looking after other places. Because god knows their funding is getting cut back. and the obscurest places that we probably love best will get what little attention they receive reduced first.