Perhaps it’s because they have an eye for retail, a taste for shopping, or they simply love living in some of the most ancient buildings and within the most beautiful countryside, that bats are making Trust shops their home.

Several species, from the very rare Barbastelle to the Brown Long-Eared bat, can be found clinging to the walls or even swooping through the doors of National Trust shops, and each property has its very own bat conservation plan.

Devon

National Trust staff at Arlington Court share their workplace with the Lesser Horseshoe bat, who switches home between the roof and the cellar of the shop on this Regency estate. They even have their very own bat-cam for you to spy on the bats as they roost.

Pipistrelle bats at Watersmeet are often spotted whipping around this dramatic river gorge and into the 19th-century fishing lodge that houses the shop and tea-room.

Gloucestershire

The shop at the famous Chedworth Roman Villa is home to six species of bat including Pipistrelle, Long-Eared, Lesser Horseshoe, Whiskered, Noctule and even the very rare Barbastelle bat.

Shropshire

Attingham Park has its very own ‘bat tunnel’ that is connected to the shop, meaning that bats are regular visitors to the retail side to this 18th-century mansion in the spring and summer. A bat expert often visits the property to deal with the bats to make sure no-one disturbs them, and they don’t put off the shoppers!

Cumbria

The shop at Acorn Bank Garden and Watermill sometimes resembles more of a nature sanctuary than a retail outlet! There are Brown Long-Eared bats, but also red squirrels and many birds – including the Greater Spotted woodpecker – that pass through the shop, which has doors either side opening directly on to the garden. You can even find amphibians wandering around the shop, as newts can be found lurking in the corners on occasion.

Give a bat a home

So while you can find bats in many National Trust shops, why not make use of the shops' contents and continue your search for bats on your very own doorstep?

You can find wonderful larch and oak bat boxes in most National Trust shops, available to buy in high quality durable timber providing longevity and excellent insulation for bats.

This natural and attractive bat box will fit into any garden or house wall site, meaning that your own house could join National Trust shops in providing homes for our nocturnal friends.