From Over 10 years working with the National Trust, We have created a great relationship with numerous National Trust sites across the country, Below is a lovely review from Jessie Binns, Senior Programming & Partnership Officer, National Trust North & West Lake District
I’ve worked on National Trust events for over 20 years and I’ve encountered a lot of different pop-up gazebo designs. By far the best ones in my experience – for robust construction and durability – are the Mini Marquees company. They are built to last: we are still using two that were in the event store when I arrived in the Lake District 16 years ago, and two that I bought nine years ago still look as good as new.
They are the only ones I’ve found that are designed to cope with the great British summer weather, feeling safe and secure even in gusty wind conditions, when cheaper and more lightweight designs can bend and buckle. As an added bonus, they can even cope with the tender mercies of National Trust ranger teams heaving them in and out of fully-laden trailers, which is definitely no mean feat (I have yet to find a plastic storage box that can survive the same process).
It’s easy to get spares and replacements, and the carrying cases are as durable and well-designed as the marquees, making them easy to transport and take care of. Mini Marquees is the brand I always recommend to colleagues who are looking to buy a pop-up gazebo – they definitely repay the investment.