RSPB charging £40 to use specialist hides

[Riggers]

They've built a nice new hide at Old Moor sunk into the ground so you have the ground at eye level. Unfortunately you can expect to be charged £40 (less £10 if a member) to use it. They are also opening up the Bittern monitoring hide for use by Photographers at the same prices.

This is going to present some great opportunities for photographers but is it right for them to charge extra to photographers? After all don't the photographers already contribute a lot to the RSPB community?

I can see both sides of the argument here and of course the RSPB is a charity but personally I can't see me paying £40 to use a hide for an hour or two unless they have snow leopards in there :)

Any views?

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/pla...ited-time.aspx

[Paulstw]

Re: RSPB charging £40 to use specialist hides

People will pay it that's why they get away with it. I get hounded everytime I go to Lochwhinnoch to join the RSPB but I prefer to pay the £2 to use the hides. I know folk who pay £150 to use Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher hides.

[Riggers]

Re: RSPB charging £40 to use specialist hides

Yeh I've recently joined up for the whole family for the year but can't really justify paying extra for specific hides. I thought that was all part of the deal. I don't have a 1600mm lens so the only hide I really use is in the garden where you can get close enough. I have no interest in sitting in a hide 500 metres from a seagul like some do lol.

[the black fox]

Re: RSPB charging £40 to use specialist hides

i totally object to that .if i want ground level shots as with my toads last week and also today ,despite being nearly 70 i simply lay flat out on my belly to get the shot ..the rspb has my monthly payment and extras from the way of spends in there shops and cafe's no way i'll pay more to use a hole in the ground ,which i'll guarantee someone sooner or later will use as a toilet

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: RSPB charging £40 to use specialist hides

£10 or £15 would be my limit for the privilege of using a specialist hide and if I was happy then I would return time and time again.
For £40 then I would expect a 3 course meal and wine included.