Mayor slams regatta rip-off merchants

Hotels and pubs cash in by more than doubling prices

By Angela Brennan and Will Davies

PUBS and hotels cashed in on the flood of Henley Royal Regatta visitors last week, hiking up their prices by as much as 150 per cent.

With over half a million people descending on the town, some hotel rooms more than doubled in price.
The Red Lion charged £385 for a double room compared to its usual tariff of £165. And a room at Milsoms increased from £95 to £250 during Regatta week.

General manager of The Red Lion, Richard Vowell, said: “It was the decision of the previous owners, who had an existing contract with regular guests who come to the Regatta every year.”

Pubs also hopped on the profit-making bandwagon, with the cost of a pint rising by as much as £1 at The Bull. The cost of house wine was raised by 50p to £4. And Pimm’s was being sold for £5 a glass, and £20 a jug.

Edward Rehill visited the White Lotus night club on Saturday night following the Regatta. He said: “I think the club hiked up the prices to capture the Regatta trade. It was £4 for a pint and an outrageous £8 for a double vodka and coke.”

At the Little Angel and Angel on the Bridge price rises were less exaggerated. At the former, the cost of a pint rose from £3.40 to £3.80, and at the latter from £2.90 to £3.20.

The Catherine Wheel, which is normally free to enter, charged a £7 entry fee on Saturday to people they did not know and £3 to regulars. On the same evening the River and White Lotus charged £10.

One pub staff member, who did not wish to be named, said: “It’s very expensive, but during the Regatta we can basically charge what we like.”

Eddie Gershon, press officer for the pub’s owners, JD Wetherspoon, said: “The pub charged an entrance fee in line with the approach by every other establishment in Henley, simply to keep numbers to a manageable level.”

Neil Blake of the Henley Partnership thought it was an inevitable result of the law of supply and demand. He said: “I don’t have any experience of it personally, but I can imagine price increases do happen as people are inclined to increase their trade and income.

“You can’t blame them for having a go in a free enterprise, but on the other hand it is anti-social. I suppose people could always vote with their feet and find other pubs to drink in.”

Mayor Cllr. Terry Buckett was both shocked and concerned by the inflated prices.
He said: “I think it’s unfair, especially on the local people. It’s their only social outlet — where else are they meant to go?

“I don’t think it paints a good picture of the town either. It’s not the best way to encourage visitors to come into town and spend money. I mean, seaside towns don’t put up prices during summer.”

Cllr. Buckett felt that in the long run such establishments could be damaging their own trade, as people would be unlikely to return.

He added: “But what can we do about it? If they can get away with it and have a good turnover, they will continue to do it.”