Should attractions charge less?

[heatherj96]

What is everyones opinions on this topic? DH and I have opposite views on it.

For example our local farm are charging the same price as before and all the in and outdoor play areas are closed ( they have a large soft play and park with zip line) also they have a train which is again closed, cafe is take out only and you cannot take a picnic... they don't have a huge range of animals either!

Do you think the price should be the same as usual or less?

I personally wouldn’t want to pay full price and only get half of the stuff included.
If bits are closed off and it’s a good chunk of the park then I just wouldn’t go.

I also don’t really care about any farms or zoos around me enough to be bothered if they close though.

Tbh, I don't think there's no reason to reduce price. I can see the places are suffering. I don't think they can keep opening the places with fewer people going there. Expecting them to open but charge less, you are expecting them to lose profit but keep opening for our benefit. Not fair.

Our local national trust place is charging full price. The house is closed as well as the play areas and cafe. So all you can do there is go for a walk. It doesnt have an unusual or ancient garden, or any particular plants of interest. It's literally a river and a field. Why anyone would pay £13ph to go there is beyond me.

However they are fully booked every day this week. If people are willing to pay it, why would they drop their prices?

I would be happy to pay the same price. For those of us who don’t like crowds some attractions might be more enjoyable with limited numbers even though the experience will be slightly different.

I think they need to charge lower prices or they will not survive. We are heading into a recession; people cut back on non essentials when they are stretched financially.

So, let’s imagine you have an attraction and charge £10 per person, and you have 50 people come in a day. 50 people to go through your gift shop and cafe, as well as paying the entrance price.

Or, you charge £5 person and 130 people come. You make more on the entrance fee but also have 80 more people passing through your cafe and gift shop - hopefully spending more in there.

Your overheads are roughly the same (staff to work on door and in cafe, cost of lighting and heating, upkeep for the animals etc.) Economies of scale.

You obviously the actual figures should be higher, and half price may not be necessary, I’ve just used the above as an example.

It amazed me, before this, that many businesses are unable to see this. My local cinema sometimes had fewer than 10 people in there on a winters evening - but they never changed the price !

Our local zoo was really overpriced and mostly empty. Once a year they put a cheap entry deal on and the place was packed - but still, nothing seemed to click. They just announced that they are closing.

Of course, if your business is still busy, with the same or higher charge, then there will be no need to drop prices.

I know they have to cover their costs, but if they are offering less, the price needs to be less.

I’m not talking 50% off, but even a 10% reduction would reflect well.

It wouldn't surprise me if any business charged more even with less facilities. They've all lost a lot of money, some overheads don't go away even if closed. On opening they'll have their staff to pay, the extra cost of PPE for them and hygiene measures to be paid for, but with less visitors due to social distancing and some being apprehensive about going out.

I would be happy to support my local attractions by paying the same as usual.

I think most will charge the same. People can then make a decision to go or not, based on what is open.

We are going to our local wildlife park this weekend and it is normal price. We know that the playgrounds and indoor play areas won't be open, and the cafes will be only open for takeaway. There will also be no shows - open air but you sit close together to watch.

But we know that and have taken the decision it is fine with us. We wouldn't have used the play areas anyway and as the weather forecast is good, sitting outside would be nicer anyway. We rarely go and watch the shows these days anyway as seen them before.

We also want it to survive, and they're already restricted in admission numbers so profits will be reduced even though open.

Attractions have already lost so much business, plus if they can now open it will be with reduced visitor numbers and possibly higher costs (extra cleaning, new hand wash or distancing facilities etc). To drop prices would really rub salt in the wound.

I think some people will be willing to go back at full price despite reduced facilities, because they're fed up of being cooped up at home.

When I'm ready to go back out, I'm looking forward to supporting business that I have used and appreciated before. It's in my best interests to do what I can to help local businesses get through this crap time so that they're still there in the future when I want to access them.

I'm not out & about just yet as I'm heavily pregnant, but as soon as I'm ready then I'm desperate to get back to our local farm, zoo etc. and I've made donations to try and keep these places going during shut-down. Not everyone's finances allow this, and that's fair enough, but I'm happy to do what I can.

I think most of these places will easily sell out for the next two months at normal price. After that, it might get more tricky.

I find it a little bit weird when people discuss how a business should be run, and 'wouldn't it be so much better if the business did x?'
Do you not think they've obviously had the discussion themselves and come to whatever they think is best for their business. With their costs, and stats, and footfall figures, and projections and market knowledge in front of them. They will obviously be well aware that higher prices will return less football and vice versa. They will know what the average customer spends in the shop etc. And they will balance it out and decide accordingly.

I've just paid full price for Chester Zoo tickets and given a donation. Some families are worse off, most are better off because they have stopping all unnecessary shopping, takeaways, birthday celebration extras, even a meal out on Father's Day. Plus what they would have spent over Easter/half term and this Summer's outings.

I think we should be supporting the attractions to stay open.

We aren't getting the same experience in everything we do and have just got to get over it.

I think it depends, my little independent farm that needs every penny yes not an issue. Alton Towers or similar that makes 200m in profit every year, no.

Not if you want them to still be here, next year.

Knowsley safari park are charging less.

@arethereanyleftatall - I agree, that would make sense wouldn’t it? However, it often isn’t the case.