Influencer fees: why the National Trust is making TikTokers cough up

The charity is in the headlines yet again, this time for asking people filming paid-for content on its sites to pay a fee. Is it all just a storm in a tea room? Age: 131. The National Trust was founded in 1895. Why? It was created to “promote the permanent preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest”. Old houses and tea rooms? Boring! Also coastal paths … Can we go to Alton Towers instead? Please! Many of the old houses have been on TV and in the movies. Like? Chartwell, Petworth, Fountains Abbey … No, I mean what films and TV shows? Downton Abbey, Wolf Hall, Bridgerton, as you’d probably expect. But also Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (Calke Abbey), Game of Thrones (Castle Ward), Bond and Indiana Jones (Stowe). OK, let’s go to the Peaky Blinders one and I’ll make a TikTok. Er … it might cost you. What do you mean? It’s just me. I’m not Steven Spielberg! So the National Trust, which made £3.1m in location fees last year, has been charging visitors who want to film at their sites. It states: “Any influencer, social media auditor or citizen journalist who wishes to create paid-for or gifted content on social