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?!

Meh, doesn’t bother me.

Currently on holiday in a tiny Cornish village from our EU/country home. Imagine the prices on menus aren’t what locals pay, a lot of the time.

Don’t really mind. Tourists have inflated living costs hugely, and I want the locals to be able to live over the winter months when we tourists have gone home.

What a bizarre thread! I couldn’t get the slightest bit worked up about it .

I went to the Edinburgh Festival a couple of years ago and Edinburgh residents pay less for their tickets than tourists do! Who cares?

The country is falling apart and this is what people get outraged about ?

Where I live the police officer, council workers, and NHS staff all get discounts at many places. That’s in addition to students and OAPs.

@Amanduh I don't think you appreciate the threat the Welsh language is under and the efforts being made to create and maintain Welsh language environments. Wales is a separate nation after all, with its own legally-protected language.
I haven't actually heard of any pubs giving a discount to Welsh-speakers, but would back it all the way. Anyone can learn Welsh and speak it if they come here and very many do.
Welsh language events are often subsidised to make them more attractive than an English language equivalent.

I live in Cornwall and have never heard of this, other than as a discount for locals who volunteer and actively support a local shop. Just charging visitors more is cynical and unpleasant and could easily backfire.

I would need to be sure which system was operating here before judging.

Tourism is a vital part of the economy of many rural areas, in spite of the inconvenience it can cause, but overall people who live in rural areas suffer far more unfairness and discrimination in the allocation of public spending than people who live in towns and cities.

TerribleCustomerCervix, it is very short-sighted though. I'm well aware of issues like work, business and services being seasonal/second homes driving up property prices etc. Of course it's a problem. But when tourists get wind of these two-tier shop prices, are they more likely to keep shopping in these places or go to (e.g.) a big out-of-town supermarket where there's price parity? And what good will that do local businesses that are already struggling?

Yes I knew that.
Went on our honeymoon to Devon and for the first three days the public house we went in charged DH 30p more for a pint of lager and 20p more for a glass of house red.
After four days they dropped the price as we got to know them and had a laugh.
We were not impressed at all.
Then found out by other nice locals it`s the norm.
Scummy attitude.

The tourist does have the choice about buying it or not. Money always talks......and if the shop loses a sale.

I suppose it's a case of what's important to the shop owner. As well as the local market and competition.

I used to live in Edinburgh and loads of my favourite places put their prices up during the Fringe I would have been very happy with a local discount to be honest!

But when tourists get wind of these two-tier shop prices, are they more likely to keep shopping in these places or go to (e.g.) a big out-of-town supermarket where there's price parity?

I’d guess that the shop in question has made a calculated risk in charging tourists more.

If it’s a reasonably rural location they can probably rely on the convenience factor. Tourists might be annoyed at having to pay say 10% more than a local, but not that annoyed that they’d be willing to drive 15 miles or so to the nearest big supermarket for some bread, milk or sun cream.

They know they’ll always get custom from tourists who don’t know the area or can’t be bothered finding somewhere cheaper, the same reason that pubs in Temple Bar in Dublin can get away with charging €9 for a pint.

I live in Cornwall and our nearest town has a locals card which can be bought for a £5. Gives you free parking all year round and 5-10% off in the local shops. There are 'tourist' restaurants which have inflated prices which locals can never afford, which tend to be open seasonally. Locals tend to eat more in the pubs or 1 cheaper restaurant

I'd love this. We live in a huge tourist area, and mostly extremely wealthy tourists too. Yet we're the year rounders who keep these stores afloat through the year.

I wonder if there is some sort of loyalty scheme that local people can apply for?
When I lived in Brighton you could go round the pavilion for free if you had your council tax bill.

How do you know this was the case, op?

Can’t get worked up about this at all for all the legit reasons other posters have made

How can they tell who is local and who is a tourist?!

The OP specified that it was a local shop, so the staff will get to know who goes in there week in, week out - in the same way anyone, anywhere might be on nodding terms with the owners of their local newsagent or corner shop.

Most local shops know the majority of local people who have been shopping at these places for decades.
Has anyone been asked if they are "local"? and if they are not then being told, theres nothing for you here?

Has anyone been asked if they are "local"? and if they are not then being told, theres nothing for you here

God no. What kind of places do you go to? A local pub, where everyone stops talking when you walk in and then mention the moors at night

I live in Cornwall and have never experienced this 😳

Not in the shops, I definitely wouldn’t be happy with that, but many tourist attractions do to keep them going out of season.

Given how bloody poor some locals are, surely it's a survival mechanism. The Cotswolds may have endless luvvies, £15m houses, helicopters, Cameron and Kate Moss, but they also boast high unemployment.

Not to mention the worst heroin stats in the UK, which can't all be down to Kate Moss.

KUGA
Went on our honeymoon to Devon and for the first three days the public house we went in charged DH 30p more for a pint of lager and 20p more for a glass of house red.
After four days they dropped the price as we got to know them and had a laugh.
Then found out by other nice locals it`s the norm.
Scummy attitude.

I'm fairly sure that is not just scummy, but illegal.
howtorunapub.co.uk/pub-price-lists/ says
"It is a legal requirement that an up to date price list should be on display for all to see at all times."

Yes I'm from the Cotswolds as well as living in one of the world's biggest tourist spots. My family are all being priced out of the local high street. It's ridiculous.

I do remember a friend of mine, who was visiting another part of the country, was surprised when she bought her favourite bottle of wine in M&S and found it was a pound more expensive than in her hone branch.

How do you know?

Which region of the country is this?

Unless there are two prices on the items in the shop I don't see how you can be sure.

I've never heard of this locally, but am also from the Cotswolds and wouldn't mind if the rural villages charged me more in shops and pubs when I visit. Nor in the Isle of Wight, where we often holiday and which has even more intense issues, due to geography. Some of the poverty, which is very hidden, is very real. Transport costs are awful alone as many have no choice but to run a car, and work is often seasonal and often badly paid. And house prices, due to weekenders, are very, very high.

And I don't think it would mean tourists shopped at supermarkets instead, on the whole. Convenience means a lot, and for larger shops you'd not use a village one anyway.

I'd be hit by higher prices and I would wear that, on an occasional basis. I've seen too many families reliant on food banks.

I’m fine with it, I see it as local discounts/mates rates really.
All the Florida theme parks do it, many hotels and attractions worldwide have in-state or local prices. I’m completely fine with that.