Food price caps not observed

[Tommy]

The prices stalls are charged are immense like - it's where the money in a festival comes from. I was chatting to someone at Glastonbury this year who suggested stalls near the Pyramid were paying in the region of £15-20K for the duration of the festival, but even at that price they still turn a huge profit.

[rachbon]

the best food was haggis, neeps and tatties for £6. they give you hunners, it's enough for two people. it made my day when i found a van selling haggis!

Edited September 4, 2009 by _rachelbon

[Trani on 10]

I don't mind paying £5 for a 'main meal'. You'd pay £7 for a nice burger in a gastro pub, and the one I had at the Posh Burger stall @ Leeds was equally as nice for a fiver.

Cheesy Chips for £5 was very steep. A fajita/burrito cost £6, i think, which was fine. There were also massive Yorkshire puddings filled with mash, gravy, sausage etc.... and they were about £6, but they were massive, so it was fine.

The thing i found expensive was the chinese noodles. £7.50 and they weren't A) substancial or particularly nice.

With regard to the beer prices, I'm used to paying £3.50-£4 a pint in London anyway, so it's not expensive for me, but I can see people who live in a little remote village the other side of Doncaster who pay £1.90 for a pint, having a problem with it.

[wilko8]

I heard one of the store owners saying that it cost him £15,000 to for a pitch for the weekend at Leeds. If that is true then it's hardly surprising how much they charge for food - they've got to make their money back to make it worthwhile - so they provide the cheapest, crappest food, for the highest possible prices.

Yet another example of festival organisers being greedy and us getting the raw end of the deal!!

[rachbon]

I don't mind paying £5 for a 'main meal'. You'd pay £7 for a nice burger in a gastro pub, and the one I had at the Posh Burger stall @ Leeds was equally as nice for a fiver.

Cheesy Chips for £5 was very steep. A fajita/burrito cost £6, i think, which was fine. There were also massive Yorkshire puddings filled with mash, gravy, sausage etc.... and they were about £6, but they were massive, so it was fine.

The thing i found expensive was the chinese noodles. £7.50 and they weren't A) substancial or particularly nice.

With regard to the beer prices, I'm used to paying £3.50-£4 a pint in London anyway, so it's not expensive for me, but I can see people who live in a little remote village the other side of Doncaster who pay £1.90 for a pint, having a problem with it.

[coma girl]

This year I spent the least amount of money I ever have at a fest and it was mainly down to taking lots of food and drink with me. The only thing I bought all weekend food wise was chips and they were awful so I'm glad I had my own stuff to eat. I had a quick look in the supermarket and it was much better than I was expcting so I'll probably get some stuff there next time.

[Trani on 10]

i seen loads of yorkshire puddings on the ground which makes me think they must have been rotten. or maybe it was just too much food.

i don't live in a remote village. i drink in glasgow city centre and 3.90 is a lot of money for a pint of cider.

[ArcticMonkeysUK]

I pay £4.10 for a bottle of Bulmers at my local in Hertfordshire, so £3.90 is cheap to me!

[vikinggriff]

my only real issue was that depending on the time of day some stalls where charging different prices for exactly the same product.

for instance burger and chips would be £6 in the afternoon but by early evening the same stall would try and charge £7.50.

there was also a large number of stalls who after the friday removed there price lists so they was blank

[rexclark]

the best food was haggis, neeps and tatties for £6. they give you hunners, it's enough for two people. it made my day when i found a van selling haggis!

[rachbon]

This year I spent the least amount of money I ever have at a fest and it was mainly down to taking lots of food and drink with me. The only thing I bought all weekend food wise was chips and they were awful so I'm glad I had my own stuff to eat. I had a quick look in the supermarket and it was much better than I was expcting so I'll probably get some stuff there next time.

[markeee]

well it's nearly there already. £3.90 for a pint of cider. f**king joke. and they only had pear cider at one of the bars which i didn't find until sunday because they hadn't bothered putting it up on the price list.

[markeee]

Thank god for the PO club @ £2.40 a pint and the WBC village bar for £1.50 a pint

[Paul ™]

WBC village bar was that on site?!

I know there's a bar all the way down in white, is that the one?

[Reue]

Anyhow, I've been told by someone very much in the know about the workings of the markets that the list is not and never will be an absolute. It wasn't last year, and you're saying it wasn't this year so it probably wasn't this year.

[Reue]

Fine fish co did awesome fish and chips for £7 i think. Yeah, £7 is expensive but the portion was huuuuge so it was pretty much the only thing i ate each day (bar snacks and stuff).

[Reue]

my only real issue was that depending on the time of day some stalls where charging different prices for exactly the same product.

for instance burger and chips would be £6 in the afternoon but by early evening the same stall would try and charge £7.50.

there was also a large number of stalls who after the friday removed there price lists so they was blank

[eFestivals]

Well be told by someone even more in the know about the workings of Reading Festival, especially with regards to the food prices; That list is an absoloute for all standard items. Ie. A burger must cost the set amount as stated on the list unless the stall owner can prove it is a gourmet item through using specific expensive cuts of meat for example etc.

So as I said and you agree with, the list isn't an absolute.

[beLIEveR]

Any stalls caught doing this were politely reminded to lower their prices and display them properly or asked to leave the site.

Festival Republic do have a team out around the site monitoring the vendor prices to ensure the set price list is adhered to, despite what some people on here may try telling you that vendors are allowed to charge whatever they wish.

[Reue]

So as I said and you agree with, the list isn't an absolute.

[Reue]

and the least chance of getting caught doing it.

[eFestivals]

The list is absoloute with regards to most items.

and so is not an absolute, as I said.

[Reue]

and so is not an absolute, as I said.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Reue

[eFestivals]

The food price list issued deals only with standardised items and with this regard it is an absoloute list of those standardised items covered. Vendors are not allowed to raise above the set price for any of the standardised items listed.

yes, I know this.

I posted exactly this last year, only to have rocktwat (as well as you, if I'm remembering rightly) insist that what I posted was wrong (and a lot more besides ).. It's pleasing that you now agree.

The problem with such a list existing is that it gives the impression that it covers all food, and so misleads the festival customers into thinking that food overall is at a lower price than it is in reality. It's a somewhat standard marketing con.

Edited September 8, 2009 by eFestivals

[dakyras]

It's all about the Aussie Steak Sandwich Bar Combo without cheese. £6.50 for a huge baguette full of steak, onion and bacon.