Life

Marie Louise McConville: Family days out? Prepare to pay a fortune

The dream of enjoying multiple family days out this summer has fallen flat given the cost of living increase
The dream of enjoying multiple family days out this summer has fallen flat given the cost of living increase The dream of enjoying multiple family days out this summer has fallen flat given the cost of living increase

So parents, how are we doing?

Here we are, a couple of weeks into the summer holidays and I'm in no doubt many of us have already wanted to send up an SOS smoke signal for help.

I'm not judging you.

In the McConville household, I don't mind admitting there have already been one or two times when I've wanted to put a `Send Help' sign in my front window in the hope a cavalry of child entertainers and professional nannies would ride up and take over.

Alas, we must carry on and make it through the next six weeks, trying to keep our little ones entertained, whilst also trying to maintain our sanity.

Stupidly, I remember a time when I thought the summer would be a wonderful, carefree family time - days out, weekends away, BBQs on the beach, glamping by the sea - fabulous.

Turns out, we would all have to be millionaires to achieve such perfect summers - especially this year.

I got the shock of my life recently when I began researching family days out.

While we have our annual summer trip to Jersey booked - which has seriously risen in price, meaning we have had to save that bit harder - we always try to fit in a couple of day trips.

These usually include a trip to a local farm, a jaunt into Newcastle or a drive up to the north coast for fish and chips on the beach after a day out at the funfair.

However, it looks like Jersey may have to be the pinnacle this summer because the price of many other activities has just sky rocketed.

Honestly, I felt like I was having palpitations last week when I looked up some of the places we usually visit during this time of year.

The price of some family tickets had jumped phenomenally and honestly, I don't know how families are meant to afford it.

I remember going to a farm last year and the family ticket being around £28. This year, the ticket will set you back more than £40.

And a trip to Portrush is definitely off the cards given the price of fuel.

Even an outing to a private estate where there is a trail to walk around and a park to play will cost you more than £20 - just to dander and slide.

A trip to a cinema has also become so much more expensive while a visit to the ice cream shop will cost you more than £20 - and don't even get me started on a cone of chips.

Don't get me wrong, I know businesses are having to contend with rising costs but I just can't see many families being able to enjoy days out like years before.

Unless prices are lowered somehow, Abbie and James will just have to make do with the trampoline and basketball net in the back garden this summer.

Sure it's only 53 days - how bad can it be?

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TV personality Mo Gilligan has been tipped to become the new face of Big Brother after it was announced that the original reality show is to make a comeback.

Four years after it was axed, a rebooted Big Brother is reportedly set to arrive on TV screens in 2023.

Sources claim the new version will cut ties with the original with Masked Singer judge, Mo Gilligan at the forefront.

Media sources have reported that despite previous hosts, Davina McCall and Ryan Clark-Neal being popular, producers are keen to make a fresh start.

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