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Original poster

Am I tight-fisted, or have prices shot up?

105 replies

Shufflebumnessie · 18/08/2021 17:09

I was looking at booking a day out/activity to do with DS and DD during the holidays as we've just had yet another Covid related disappointment. I am shocked at the prices!
A 90 minute swim session at a pool with slides etc would be £45 for 2 adults and 2 children.
Two games of bowling (approximately 40 minutes in total according to the website) is £52.
A day out at a local Country Park (which is lovely but nothing for the adults apart from walking around) is £70. It was £45 before lockdown.
A 90 minute session at a local farm for £42. Previously this was the cost for the full day.
Am I just being a miser, or have prices increased substantially?

OP posts:
LouLou789 · 18/08/2021 18:16

I was amazed at few prices of zoos when I was looking today (eg Chester and Yorkshire Wildfire Park) Chester is £95 for 2 adults and 2 kids, the Wildlife Pack would be £84. I don’t know the pre-pandemic prices but surely these are now out of the reach of many families?

Parentingdilemmas · 18/08/2021 18:20

@Shufflebumnessie the bowling stands out, why is it so expensive?

Because it’s summer holidays prices have shot up for a lot of activities. Also places you could stay for an unlimited period have been capped to 2hr slots etc. It’s definitely a pinch to the pocket.

ssd · 18/08/2021 18:23

Such a shame places are taking the rip like this. I get they need to make money but these price rises seem extortionate.

FlyingScott · 18/08/2021 18:24

Oh yes, many businesses seem to be using “because Covid” to rip people off/increase profits.
Couple of examples…

Attraction now requires tickets to be booked in advance and does not offer changes or refunds in any circumstances.

Restaurant only booking tables for max of 90 minutes to “allow addition time for cleaning”
Restaurant cleaning standards haven’t changed, I’m sure they’re using it as a reason to fit more bookings in.

Attraction which is usually free still requires advance booking. The first ticket options include a donation which people may select if they don’t realise it’s still free and find those other ticket options at the bottom of the page.

BluebelllsRosesDaffodills · 18/08/2021 18:27

@Waveafterwaveslowlydrifting

I paid £66 for 4 people at a super duper slide pool. It was worth it but a once a year thing. For regular swimming I'd want to pay a lot less.
Which pool???
Parentingdilemmas · 18/08/2021 18:29

@Invisimamma - I agree about recouping losses. It’s a shame that we need to cough out to allow our family to have a nice day out when a lot of people have also faced losses due to covid x

dannydyerismydad · 18/08/2021 18:30

@SnitchyBitch that's the same pool we have booked.

Admittedly it's been a while since we last went, but we used to go on a Sunday morning for £15.

I refused to pay the mark up. DH wanted to go so booked it anyway. I'm sure we'll have a lovely time, but £45 worth?

MNmonster · 18/08/2021 18:33

I definitely think days out are more expensive. For me it's been the odd £5 here and there, but it's all adding up.

The one annoying me is that lots of places now need you to book in advance. But to avoid people booking it and then not turning up, they ask you to pay something in advance. Again, it's usually 'only' a fiver per person. But that turns a free day out into a £20 day out.

I understand businesses were hit hard with covid etc. But a lot of their paying customers were too.

sociallydistained · 18/08/2021 18:35

I’m a nanny to three boys (and first time mum to be) and I just cannot stand the prices of stuff like this, especially with time limits! It’s not even my money and my bosses would allow me to do most things but I just can’t when I add the cost, especially for three kids.

We have an annual pass to a local gardens it’s £36 a month and it’s the best value pass ever. The boys have such a good time everytime we go and it’s basically free. There is also a country park which is really good and you pay for parking which is somewhat reasonable. We have found some local free events that are going on which have all been really fab.

The thing I find is the things with time limits on and are expensive are less fun for the kids in the end than the country parks and other things which we can stay at all day.

SnitchyBitch · 18/08/2021 18:38

@dannydyerismydad It was worth it but I always do the first booking slot of the day and get all the slides done before it gets too busy or you’re spending so much time queuing for them.
My legs are aching from going up the stairs so many times Grin

Our more local one is Windsor and it’s dirt cheap but no slides so fine for messing about swimming (and it’s normally full of toddlers anyway so the deep end is empty for us) but no where near as much fun as Coral Reef.

countrytown · 18/08/2021 18:43

@Heatherjayne1972 I agree with you, it's a conundrum

NoSquirrels · 18/08/2021 18:55

A day out at a local Country Park (which is lovely but nothing for the adults apart from walking around) is £70. It was £45 before lockdown.

Shock What do the kids get?
Country Park just = playgrounds and woods, no? Trails to follow etc. How can they charge that?

fairgame84 · 18/08/2021 18:57

It cost £59 for 2 standard adults and one disabled adult at Yorkshire wildlife park last week. The place was heaving, big queues to go in the walk through parts and for food. I don't remember it being that expensive a few years ago.

TheMoth · 18/08/2021 18:59

Chester zoo has been hugely expensive for years. We've been members for about 10 years, as it works out cheaper. But now kids are older, in but sure it's worth it anymore. They want to be doing things with mates, rather than walking round the zoo with us.

But that gets really expensive. Kayaking- 12 quid per person per hour. But that's not a day out, so you book something else too. Then food. £75 quid for family of 4 for tea. Split between 4 adults, it's ok. But when it's the family budget, it's a big thing. Takeaway, good one, would be half the price. But so sick of being in.

Slipperfairy · 18/08/2021 19:00

I think a lot of the cost is age dependent. What I could do with little kids just doesn't cut it with tweens.

Xmasbaby11 · 18/08/2021 19:04

I agree. We're on holiday in Devon and it's expensive all around. We're going to a water park next week and for a 3 hour visit it's £68!

Original poster
Shufflebumnessie · 18/08/2021 19:04

[quote Parentingdilemmas]@Shufflebumnessie the bowling stands out, why is it so expensive?

Because it’s summer holidays prices have shot up for a lot of activities. Also places you could stay for an unlimited period have been capped to 2hr slots etc. It’s definitely a pinch to the pocket.[/quote]
I have no idea! It's just a bog standard Hollywood Bowl. I went through the online booking for for 2 games for 11am on Saturday morning and it gave me that price. Perhaps they've changed to solid gold bowling balls and need to recoup the cost? Wink

OP posts:
SpnBaby1967 · 18/08/2021 19:06

£150 for us to go to the zoo the other day, family of 5.

£70 for one hour at the local trampoline place

And my kids wonder why we dont do more with them (picnics in the park arent as appealing to the kids now they're older sadly, that was always my cheap go to option)

Original poster
Shufflebumnessie · 18/08/2021 19:07

@SnitchyBitch that's exactly where I was looking to book for a treat. We've never been but heard great things.
Our local pool is cheaper but the fun/kids area is currently closed.

OP posts:
Beautifulday345 · 18/08/2021 19:08

@SnitchyBitch my first thought was coral reef when I read the post, and welly country park 🧐

lollipoprainbow · 18/08/2021 19:09

We haven't done as much this year and I feel so guilty but I just can't afford it. Making memories won't be happening this holiday I'm afraid !!

curiouscatgotkilled · 18/08/2021 19:12

I have definitely noticed things being more expensive this summer holidays. A two hour trampoline park visit was £80 for 4 kids, don't even know how much they actually enjoyed it.

Original poster
Shufflebumnessie · 18/08/2021 19:15

@NoSquirrels it's a private country park owned by the Duke of Wellington Estate. There is lots for the kids to do (play grounds, animals, jumping pillow, dinosaurs etc) and is a really nice day out but definitely not for £64 (just double checked the price and realised I'd over estimated slightly).
We used to live very close to two Council run country parks which were gorgeous and you only paid for parking. I miss them!

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 18/08/2021 19:16

Swimming isn't great where I am so I used to pop a few junctions up the motorway to a public pool with wave machine and slides. Now to book online, I need an annual membership card of £30 before even paying admission. At about 3 trips per year, it's not worth it. Plus the session is capped at an hour, and my two can easily fill the best part of two hours.

So much involves paying more for less, and more palaver in booking/ terms & conditions.

My two are probably outgrowing the cheap delights of the park anyway but that's been massively hastened by vast chunks of the past 18m when it's often been the only thing you can do out of the house.

GameSetMatch · 18/08/2021 19:17

I’m shocked at your prices, this holiday we have done
£3 each for crazy golf
£4.20 for me and two kids swimming pool (no slides)
£5 each for local farm with soft play
£18 for one game of bowling for six people
£5 for car park but free entry to Brokholes (country park)
£2.49 each for cinema to see Raya and the last dragon

I think you need to shop around a bit those prices are ridiculous!