The leaked report ‘Towards a 10-Year Vision for Places and Experiences’ proposes to ‘dial down’ the National Trust's role as a ‘major national cultural institution’.

Many of us are disappointed, if not shocked, by the charity's apparent reluctance to remain the nation's leading custodian of country houses. Looking after historic houses is an immensely complex task, and the report belittled the thoughtful and painstaking work, which goes into the presentation to the public of houses, both humble and grand.

These houses, regardless of the moral probity of their creators, are among the UK’s most significant cultural achievements. The public should be invited to enjoy, appreciate and understand them, but it is also important that the interpretation offered should not be trivialized.

While it is always desirable to give as many people as possible access to the fine houses in the care of the Trust, there is the risk that this can be done at the expense of the often delicate fabric of these old properties. Ancillary infrastructure such as tea rooms and car parks need to be designed carefully and sensitively. Where signage is needed, it should be well-designed, consistent and unintrusive.

Property managers understandably want to place their activities on a sound financial footing, but there is room for some further careful thought about how best to achieve this objective. Part of this is to establish the best possible understanding of the fabric of the houses and the best way to care for them in the long term.

The answer is not simple, but we hope that, with the involvement of a broad range of members and interested parties the best way forward will be found.

The Trust rightly gives a great deal of thought to its service to the public, and to providing the widest possible access to the widest possible range of buildings and sites.

It is also important to remember the donors, whose generosity made it possible in the first place to open these remarkable places to the public.

Another group that must not be forgotten is the tenants and tenant farmers who look after houses and landscapes from day to day and do invaluable work on behalf of all of us. It is vital to the long-term well-being of the Trust that they are fairly treated and that their contribution is properly valued and recognized.

The leaked report speaks regretfully of membership as a ‘cheap season ticket’.

Another way of looking at this would be that a membership card offers an affordable and valued escape from uninspiring urban and suburban life. A day out with the National Trust provides not only a much-needed tonic and source of relaxation for many, but also an immersive learning and aesthetic experience.

Undoubtedly, much of what the National Trust does amounts to tourism, but the tourist experience is a very special one. It is important that the Trust does not lose what makes it distinctive. If members believe in what the Trust is doing, they will give more generously, especially those who become better able to do so later in life, and remember the Trust in their wills, but this will not happen unless the Trust itself believes in what it is doing.

It needs to be on a financially sound footing; however, pursuing a profitable business model above all else will be self-defeating as members of the public lose faith and turn away.