Game, set and strawberries

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Posted at 9:02AM, 25 June 2008 by Andrea McGinniss - Acting editor, bbcgoodfood.com

Making news at Wimbledon this year: Roger Federer's snappy cardigan/blazer ensemble; Rafael Nadal's snug knee-length pirate pants; Britain's complete hopes resting on the narrow shoulders of Andy Murray; the (so far) uncharacteristically sunny weather and the price of strawberries has gone up 25p! Oh, and apparently there's a spot of tennis being played too.

Much as I'd like to explore all these pressing issues (Raf's shorts especially), it's the strawberries that seem to be concerning the foodie tennis fans among us. Three years ago when I travelled to experience the tournament first-hand I was shocked to discover the price of a punnet was just £2.00. And you could bring your own wine! This was my kind of event!

My enthusiasm for the event has not been hampered this year by the apparently startling price hike. In fact, despite its posher-than-thou reputation Wimbledon is still a reasonably affordable day out - as long as you stick to soaking up the atmosphere on the outside courts and resist the Pimms.

Despite it's posher-than-thou reputation Wimbledon is still a reasonably affordable day out...

Event prices have always erred on the extreme rip-off side. We're all used to not getting change from a tenner for a popcorn and drink at the cinema. For a plastic cup of flat beer at a concert. Or for a soggy hot dog at the football. So the 25p rise to £2.25 for a punnet of quality picked-the-night-before, delivered-at-5.30am-daily ripe red juicy strawberries topped wtih cream, as per tradition, seems to me to be remarkably good value.

I'm still trying to find a way to wangle my way to this year's tournament. Even though I'm lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Nadal et al's thighs out of the corner of my eye on the office tv, the opportunity to sit on the hill formerly known as Henman's, with a warm wine in hand and strawberries and cream balanced on knee, is priceless. Is that a sniffle I feel developing?

Do you think £2.25 is too steep for a punnet of strawberries at Wimbledon? What's the worst rip-off you've come across at an event?

Comments

Holly

25 June 2008, 10:29AM
Holly

My friend went to the O2 and was charged Â£7.50 for an awful hotdog and it is Â£10 for a soggy bowl of noodles there. I hate the mark up on ice cream and popcorn at the cinema too, what a rip off! Sneaking in you own is a much better idea - but I'm not sure it's allowed. But hey, if Wimbledon let you take in your own wine, it must be ok.

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philw2008

25 June 2008, 11:38AM
philw2008

I paid Â£2.30 for a slightly-larger-than-normal pack of Maltesers at a concert on Friday. That makes the strawberries look like very good value I think. And we weren't allowed to bring in our own booze.

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robin

25 June 2008, 12:27PM
robin

Â£2.25 is a bargain, they could easily charge more. I'm half tempted to go down there myself with some supermarket strawberries and flog them to the queuing tennis fans for a fiver a punnet

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sheppy

25 June 2008, 1:30PM
sheppy

I say that's a bargain for those strawberries. I'm sure people expect the prices to be high, particularly when you have cinemas selling crap stuff for inflated prices...You end up paying double->treble prices for a cinema visit. Mind you the tickets themselves have gone up quite substantially. Hey Holly, what if you want something hot in the cinema - how do you sneak a hot dog in?

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Jen'sfood

27 June 2008, 12:33PM
Jen'sfood

Went to Wimbledon for the 1st time this year - eating food there for the day is quite pricey(especially the Pimms!) but the food is very good quality and very well cooked. It was a great day out and am going into the ballot for tickets again next year.

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