To think that shops charging non-locals higher prices is not on?

[BBInGinDrinking]

We're on a family holiday staying in a rural coastal cottage in the UK and have been doing all our grocery shopping at the local stores in the nearest villages. I discovered on the last visit to a general store in one village that they have two sets of prices - lower ones for locals and higher ones for visitors.

Who knew?! Is this a thing?!

The place we've been staying in has been owned by a family for many years. It's been their holiday home but they also let it out year round whenever they aren't there - to help pay the bills and because they want it in regular use, not standing empty for weeks or months at a time. They struggle at times to get enough bookings though, because the nearby honey pots are saturated with holiday lets, and most tourists seem to prefer to be in the thick of things with facilities nearby. This place has no neighbours and no facilities close by. I like the fact that when they bought it nobody else had wanted it at all and they brought it back to life, rather than them having just thrown money at it and priced somebody local out.

And if the shop can't survive in low season as a result it's thier own fault

Sorry but this makes no sense to me - thousands of businesses are seasonal and rely on making enough at one time of year to tide them over in the others - florists (mothers day and valentines), gardeners (summer grass and hedge trimming), woolly jumper makers, Christmas decoration and cracker manufacturers, swim suit sellers etc

In Hillingdon, the council gives discounted parking in car parks to residents. I find that a bit off to be fair, it's a London borough not some little village.

Thanks for all the replies - certainly gave me food for thought, pun intended. I'm fine about membership, employment, low income, resident and loyalty discount schemes. They're all above board, advertised and I am or have been a member of several of those myself. What I didn't and don't like is the idea of an informal, ad hoc, or secret tax on tourists, applied as and when.shops and businesses see fit. I can't say for sure that's what this was, only that the atmosphere changed and it felt shifty at the time. It also led to me feeling less welcome than I did before - an outsider rather than a visitor, if you like. I'm very much against anyone being made to feel like that, unless they really deserve it of course by means of shockingly bad behaviour. Would I shop there again when we're in the area? To be fair to them, in case I've got the wrong end of the stick, yes I would - but I'd be asking for the prices and why they differ for locals and tourists before I parted with my money.

Back to reality now. Thanks again to all pps - many interesting responses.

I wonder if the hmrc knows about this tourist tax and the fact that it doesn't benefit the wider community in any way - rather, it goes straight into the owner's pocket

@themuttsnutts - HMRC require a total of all income and charge tax accordingly. There is no such thing as a tourist tax; the shopkeepers have decided to have slightly higher prices than RRP but give regular shoppers a discount. Shopkeepers are entitled to charge whatever they like as long as they charge the price they advertise in the shop or less.

As long as the business declares the total takings in their till on their accounts and tax return, HMRC won't be remotely interested in who got discounts etc. There is absolutely no suggestion, evidence, etc., that this so-called "tourist tax" add on (if it even exists) went in the shop-keepers back pocket rather than the till.

Some places abroad used to (maybe still do) charge different prices to different visitors.

Very common in many places. In India and Egypt we encountered discriminatory pricing, not simply local v visitors but based on your nationality. If we were to charge non UK visitors to enter Museums etc can you imagine the cries of racism etc.!

And if the shop can't survive in low season as a result it's thier own fault

Where we lived in Germany one business was an ice-cream parlour in Summer and sold furs and leather in WInter, worked very well too.

If we were to charge non UK visitors to enter Museums etc can you imagine the cries of racism etc.!

That happens already to an extent. There are numerous museums etc that are free to local residents, but which are chargeable to non locals which will include non UK visitors.

It's also very widespread abroad, where the country's own citizens don't pay, or pay less, but foreign visitors have to pay. That's in EU countries too, like Rome in Italy, so it's obviously lawful within the EU, yet there'd be an outcry if we tried it in the UK!

The issue is less about the money and more about the message it sends.
The locals seem to be saying: "yes we need you to sustain our tourist industry - bars, restaurants, hotels, caravan parks - but we also resent having you so will charge you more". Not very welcoming, is it?

Spot on

Wouldn't mind if it was clearly priced - eg as in entry fees for local attractions- but otherwise it's just misleading pricing

no one should need to buy an Oyster card, using contactless is cheaper and easier

Nonsense- if transaction fees are being charged per swipe, an Oyster card will be much cheaper

(For overseas visitors)

In London, if you get an Oyster card (for travel) at any station, or machine, you pay a refundable deposit for it. Those who land and buy one at an airport are sold one with a 'tourist tax' as the £4-5 can't be refunded

Nonsense- TFL doesn't do that at its stations - are you buying from a ticket tout?

In London, if you get an Oyster card (for travel) at any station, or machine, you pay a refundable deposit for it. Those who land and buy one at an airport are sold one with a 'tourist tax' as the £4-5 can't be refunded

Chipping in (fellow Londoner) to say this isn’t true.