Consumer Investigation: Kids paytime

MANY of Britain's top tourist attractions are ripping off families - by charging children almost as much as adults for their tickets, a Sunday Mirror investigation has revealed.

One of the worst offenders is Camelot theme park in Chorley, Lancs, which charges a flat rate of pounds 16 despite billing itself as "a whole day of fun for the family". Its only concession is that children under one metre high - which most youngsters reach by the age of four - get in free. But other attractions aren't much better. Oakwood Theme Park in Wales reduces its adult admission price of pounds 13.75 by just pounds 1 for kids, while Legoland in Windsor charges pounds 22 for a child ticket, just pounds 2 less than the full adult price.

Parents taking their children to Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire make a measly pounds 4 saving on the adult price of pounds 18 as do families visiting London's Madame Tussaud's - where kids are charged pounds 19.99 compared to pounds 23.99 for adults.

Bob Tolliday, of consumer watchdog Holiday Which, said: "It seems ridiculous that youngsters should be expected to pay almost as much as adults.

"Lack of children's concessions or family deals make for a very expensive day out."

Of the 18 top attractions surveyed by the Sunday Mirror only 11 offered reduced-price family passes.

Other rip-offs include Thorpe Park in Surrey, which offers a reduction of just pounds 7 on its pounds 27 adult rate, and Cadbury World in Birmingham, which knocks pounds 2.60 off its adult admission of pounds 10.50. The London Dungeons reduces its entry fee from pounds 14.50 to pounds 10.95.

The Eden Project in Cornwall was best value for kids, with a pounds 5 charge compared to the adult price of pounds 12.50.

Other value-for-money day-trips for kids included the London Eye - pounds 6.50 instead of pounds 12.50 - and Alton Towers in Staffordshire - pounds 21 instead of pounds 28.

Mary MacLeod, chief executive of the National Family and Parenting Institute, said: "Parents have told us that they are really troubled about the cost of leisure time activities during the holidays.

"They do feel ripped off when they want to organise outings with their children."

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