I strongly recommend people do not sign up for The Spectator. No way to turn auto renewal off, I didn't want to cancel, just the option to renew or not when the time came. They then take 15% as an adm... See more
While we don't verify specific claims because reviewers' opinions are their own, we may label reviews as "Verified" when we can confirm a business interaction took place. Read more
To protect platform integrity, every review on our platform—verified or not—is screened by our 24/7 automated software. This technology is designed to identify and remove content that breaches our guidelines, including reviews that are not based on a genuine experience. We recognise we may not catch everything, and you can flag anything you think we may have missed. Read more
See what reviewers are saying
As detailed in other reviews. The whole business model seems to be to tempt people in on cheap subscriptions and then auto renew a year later at massively increased pricing with no reminder. Any bus... See more
I'm changing an earlier review, as it turns out it's far more Royal Mail than The Spectator at fault. Even our regular postie, has said they came back to chaos after having time off. The Spectator ha... See more
Company replied
My first Spectator event ( theme English Wines).I felt most welcome - Jonny Ray convivial host - invited excellent Speaker Henry Jeffreys presented his book 'Vines in a cold Climate' -he also choose... See more
Company details
Written by the company
The world's oldest weekly magazine. Since 1828.
Contact info
22 Old Queen Street, SW1H 9HP, Westminster, United Kingdom
- spectator@spectator.co.uk
- shop.spectator.co.uk
No recent history of asking for reviews
This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative
Replied to 50% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 1 week
How this company uses Trustpilot
See how their reviews and ratings are sourced, scored, and moderated.
Beware of this company.
Beware of this company.
Cancelled months and months ago. They just keep making fraudulent charges against my card. Every month I lodge a dispute with my bank, the charge gets reversed and the following month they charge my card again. Avoid at all costs.

Reply from The Spectator
Avoid
Awful
Got trial then cancelled it. Found out the cancellation hadn't gone through when they took money immediately queried told they would get back promptly and haven't heard anything.

Reply from The Spectator
Jolly Polly!
A learning experience along with quaffing jolly good Pol Roger!
Be wary of their special offers…
A good magazine but their special offers are bogus. I was promised 12 weeks on print and online for 12 weeks followed by a year online online only, for (effectively) £1 a week. Plus a £20 gift voucher. But they've decided is was online only and no gift voucher. And boy, are they digging their heels in. It spoils the enjoyment of reading the magazine when you realise they're out to shaft you.

Reply from The Spectator
Free Month's Trial is a Ruse
Signed up free month trial but Spectator took a payment from my account one week before the trial was due to end. I immediately cancelled the 'trial' and emailed my complaint but Spectator's bot-response claims they're busy and to not expect a response for a week. Disputed transaction and blocked them with my credit card provider.

Reply from The Spectator
Cancelled my subscription In January…
Cancelled my subscription In January but payments still being taken.

Reply from The Spectator
Offensive article!!!!!!
In the article “Joe Biden hates Britian” it sayer Joe Biden reason for his hate was from “exaggerated but dated folklore of Irish
grudge” (Spectator)
I find this offensive 😡
Disappointed
I took out a subscription to The Spectator on 12 March, having been enticed by the promise that I would receive a £20 John Lewis voucher by email within 14 days. I’ve contacted Customer Services 3 times but still haven’t received the voucher. No delay taking payments! Feels as though I’ve been scammed.

Reply from The Spectator
Racist article
From an recent article on ‘Joe Biden ‘Hates Britain’
There evidence ‘ Biden was steeped in the exaggerated but dated folklore of Irish grudge’
What it is saying here that Irish history is folklore I.e it’s made up and just a ‘grudge’ implicating the Irish famine, occupation of Ireland, Oliver Cromwell’s massacre of 200,000 Irish and plenty more examples. This not only describes our history as ‘exaggerated but dated‘ but suggests that the Irish hate the English and that they are too stupid to accept and move on from the past.
Honestly the spectator ngl gb news would have more pc takes than this and there run by Nigel Farage of all people
One star too many !
This is my second review… avoid and avoid. Was refunded for incorrect charge and then charged again. Now trying to cancel subscription. Impossible. No one replies. Will have to block via bank

Reply from The Spectator
Unable to cancel subscription.
Read my review further down from…
Read my review further down from January. I was promised a refund which I still have not received. I emailed, phoned and wrote letters again and again but they have stopped responding after promising they would sort it out. Avoid at all costs. I will do a chargeback through my bank and I advise you all to do the same. Trash customer service.
Simply a trash-mag
Its just an online trash-mag with articles by third-rate journalists. Don't bother. You won't get a refund anyway as their customer service is awful.
Excellent event
Excellent event, well presented interesting wines and accompanying good lunch
I have been trying to unsubscribe and…
I have been trying to unsubscribe and it’s impossible. I just want them to leave me alone and refund any monies taken after the trial period ended
Another great Spectator Club tasting event
Wonderful Burns Night Whisky tasting in The Spectator boardroom with The Glenturret. Johnny is such a welcoming host, the whiskys were incredible - so lovely to hear the stories behind them from Private Client Manager (and ex Scottish rugby player) Ruaridh Jackson.
Terrible service - cannot cancel free trial
Like many others took out the free trial. Emailed and phoned to cancel the subscription but was charged 12.99 at end of January. Have emailed again but no response and the phone number no longer works. Complete nightmare avoid at all costs
Worst online service since the invention of the internet
I already reviewed below and they say to every comment on here to "write to the help@ Spectator e-mail". Forget that too. You're just wasting your time. The Press Ombudsman has to be the next port of call.
The Trustpilot Experience
Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active.
We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Find out how we combat fake reviews.
Learn about Trustpilot’s review process.
Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews.
Verification can help ensure real people are writing the reviews you read on Trustpilot.
Offering incentives for reviews or asking for them selectively can bias the TrustScore, which goes against our guidelines.







