I avoid the crap service places but I can do because I am local, trip advisor is good thou

@kickingupdaisies Bang on. That's exactly what my parents did when we went anywhere as kids.

@JulyDreams

Can I ask why you picked Torquay?

It's the ass end with the highest crime rate in the area and it's seriously run down now.

Don't be put off

It's a beautiful area if you pick the right places.

the Cutty Sark / Maritime museum in Greenwich - which must be one of the biggest tourist draws in the country (and maybe in Europe?)

Bless you. Yes, sure, the Cutty Sark is right up there with the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, Versailles, the Sistine Chapel, the Van Gogh museum, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Pompeii, the Charles Bridge, EuroDisney…

Howling at the cutty dark being a top tourist attraction😀

Agree OP, things are in a real mess at the moment.
We went for a big walk in our town (a minor tourist destination) on Friday and went into a very large chain pub for lunch. We were told there would be a 2 hour wait for food, but the pub was half empty. So we moved on.
We headed to the next pub and there was a sign on the door saying "kitchen temporarily closed".
It's dire.
As for prices, on a recent holiday to Scotland we sat down in a dead average cafe, saw the menu and £4.95 for one slice of cake, stood up and walked out without ordering! In another bar, closer to home, a basic burger and chips is now £18 at lunch time - these used to be Michelin prices.
I then watched a YouTube video about Malaga as we're going there later this year - a giant plate of sea food for 2 people, piled high, with 2 large glasses of sherry, is €11!

I wouldn't be eating seafood that I paid 11 euro for enough for two people I think you'll be surprised. Prices in Europe have gone the same way.

I now feel lucky that I walked into a pub on the Yorkshire coast, not in the middle of a town, but bang on a popular walking trail, at lunchtime yesterday and was able to order food that was ready in about 15-20 minutes.

I got a very nice fish finger sandwich with home made chips, salad and coleslaw and a pint of beer, for £11.

Can't complain at that.

CornishGem1975 · Today 08:35

I wouldn't be eating seafood that I paid 11 euro for enough for two people  I think you'll be surprised. Prices in Europe have gone the same way.

Haha, why on earth not?!
Every bar and restaurant featured in this video had similar, very affordable prices, compared to the UK.

We were just in Hastings and got charged £55 for five portions of fish and chips. We wanted to have fish and chips on the beach. I kid you not, the fish was no more than about three fish fingers worth, dark brown over fried batter, and there were about a dozen chips in each box, brown and covered in black flecks from where things have burnt in the oil. DH reeled at the cost- they explained that fish was £6 and if you wanted chips it was £5 extra. Doesn't say that on the menu! Anyway, he grudgingly paid, got outside, opened the boxes and took them straight back. Told them he wasn't paying for meagre portions of inedible food, and at that price they could either cook it again with decent portion sizes and in a clean fryer, or they could refund him. They grumbled and the manager shouted. He showed the contents of the box to people who came through the door and said he didn't recommend they pay £11 for this. They left. He was promptly refunded, we went to a pub and got fish and chips and a pudding. Similar price, huge portions, beautifully cooked.

You also came to Devon at a particularly bad time. Half term plus long Bank Holiday jubilee weekend plus busy seaside resort. I went for a walk (not Torquay but another beach location) on Thursday and it was the busiest I've ever seen it. Ice creams were under £3 though (not sure about the coffee, I usually get a takeaway for about £2.50 or take a flask and sit on beach). If you don't have DC avoid the school holidays.

We took DGS to Buxton last week to see the Dinosaur experience, it was expensive at £12.50 per adult but we didn’t have to pay for him as he’s under 3. A ride on the mini train was only £2 each and again only paid for 2 adults. We went into the Pavilion cafe, a ham+cheese toastie, 2 big sausage rolls, 2 muffins, a bag of crisps and 2 teas was £19, not cheap but not outrageous. I’ve been looking at other places to take him within an hour of home, saw the Heights of Abraham at Matlock, the cost of the cable car is £23 per adult!!! That’s outrageous.
I remember paying £25 for 2x fish and chips in Llandudno ( supposed to be the best chippie/restaurant) a few years ago, peas were an extra £2 and were in a pot the size of an egg cup, it was also meant to be cod but didn’t taste like it.
There are some amazing places in this country, most trips are either ruined by the weather or by rip off prices.

I was going to suggest macdonald's for a coffee- always really nice 🤣🤣

We always go to a supermarket and get a meal deal picnic. If we're away for a weekend it tends to be in a premier inn so I'll fill my flask with coffee to take with me.

We had a fab day out yesterday and I paid £2.50 for a cappuccino and £2 for amazing home made ice cream 🤷🏼‍♀️. Maybe you need to holiday in different places.

the Cutty Sark / Maritime museum in Greenwich - which must be one of the biggest tourist draws in the country

😂 Thanks, I was after a laugh this morning! Btw, I love it as well but I am a bit more realistic about it's European ranking.

We're just driving back from a few days in Worcestershire. It's not the South coast but I didn't want to drive more than about 2.5hrs. Excellent value Airbnb that had enough of a kitchen for us to eat in and get picnics ready. One pub tea out for less than £50 including a pint/large glass of wine. We did one big day out (2 adults and 1 under 3 so free) to a local farm/zoo/soft play type place and the rest national trust visits as we're already members (gift when we got married) so it's just the cost of an ice cream. Up until today we've been really lucky with the weather but packed waterproofs/wellies etc. It is what you make of it but I'd be a bit miffed at £9 for a couple of hot drinks!

Not sure if you’ve heard of it, but there’s a place nearby, called the Greenwich meridian. Not sure why it’s so famous but people come in droves to see it….

Clearly some on here have never been to Greenwich in the summer. It’s heaving!

That price does sound high, compared to where we go out in London

I haven’t done a U.K. trip recently though

Seems high.

As an example we live in a prime summer tourist area in Central/ Southern Europe. It’s 32 degrees today, and swimming in the warm lake is free.

2 bed holiday apartment with outdoor space -€150-200 per night. So a week stay of 6 nights in peak season your looking at €1200 (£1000) approx. That’s for a family of 4.

1 scoop homemade gelato ice cream on cone = €1.30

Beer - €2

two course set menu lunch locally = €7.50. For example you could get main and desert like goulash/ schnitzel and sides/ grilled fish then Apple strudel and ice cream all for that price.

I'm glad I live by the sea. Nearest touristy places are Seaton Carew and Seaham. We had a walk out the other day and stopped at a pub mid hike. Only £6 for a main course and pint of real ale £3.

I tend to go to the lakes or Reeth for a break. Can get expensive in the lakes for ale and food.

I discovered Seaton Carew by accident last year.

Lovely beach and parking was cheap too, only a pound or two for a few hours. Good fish and chips too.

With Self catering in future I'd recommend going to a supermarket and spending that £100 on shopping for the week. It's enough to include drinks and a few treats. Take bottled drinks and a flask out with you. Just make the holiday food the odd bag of chips and an occasional ice cream.

I like the coffee in McDonald's and it's cheap, but I think that's kind of missing the point. Presumably the OP doesn't go on holiday to sit in McDonald's or wether spoon's. She wants to sample the independent cafes in the area. And that's the expensive bit. I agree, UK holidays are not the same as going abroad, it can get expensive if the weather is bad.

When we were skint last year we went on a steam train on holiday in the forest of Dean. Cream teas on there were £7pp. So we went to lidl and got a pack of scones a tub of jam and some squirtry cream, plus made flask of tea and revelled in the fact that as a family of four we made a saving of £23. Plus 2 extra scones as 6 in a pack.

You could bring your own food on the train so not breaking any rules...