A man has sparked a social media debate after saying foreign holidays were for the ‘rich’ and that he only ever went to Center Parcs and Butlins as a child – but people have responded saying he’s underestimating the price of UK holidays.
Taking to Twitter, a man named Danny, from London, responded to the news that travellers would face a £5,000 fine for going abroad on holiday when a ban on leaving the UK without ‘reasonable excuse’ comes into force on Monday.
The threat of fines has been extended until the end of June, making foreign summer holidays look increasingly unlikely as a third wave of coronavirus sweeps across Europe.
He penned: ‘Brits upset they might not get a holiday abroad this summer. As a kid we never went on a plane. [Center] Parcs, Butlins and the caravan in Yarmouth & Meopham. If you left the U.K your folks were either rich, on the game, owned a house or had relatives in that country. Get a grip’.
However, people were quick to take to the comments section, with many pointing out just how pricey UK staycations can be.
A man named Danny, from London, has sparked a debate after saying foreign holidays were for the ‘rich’ and that he only ever went to Center Parcs and Butlins as a child – but people have responded saying he’s lost sight of just how expensive UK holidays really were. Pictured, stock image
Taking to Twitter, the man in question penned: ‘If you left the U.K your folks were either rich, on the game, owned a house or had relatives in that country. Get a grip’ (pictured)
In response, one person wrote: ‘Mate it costs more to go to Center parcs than to Spain’ (pictured)
‘Mate it costs more to go to Center parcs than to Spain,’ wrote one, while a second penned: ‘Only once took the kids to Butlins and it was for five days, It was an eye opener how much money you can go through.
‘At one point, about three days in I thought my budget would run out. So much easier to budget on a foreign holiday.’
A third added: ‘To be fair – you were doing pretty well if you could afford Centre Parcs!’ while a fourth penned:
‘Cheaper to go abroad than Centre Parcs. We’ve got two good wages coming in and there’s no way we could afford a week away there. Fwiw we’re doing Butlins this year because my daughter loves it and we are common.
Quick search shows prices at Center Parcs starting from £1,428 (depending on location) for a two bedroom Woodland Lodge from July 1 for seven nights
A flight and accommodation deal – a double room with balcony – flying to Santa Ponsa, Majorca, in Spain on 27 June for seven nights comes out at £692pp on TUI’s website (pictured)
Elsewhere, a further commented: ‘Danny, I think people complaining they can’t go abroad this summer are lame too but CENTER PARCS!?’
‘I went once when I was 5 and again when I was 33 and both times were in the first week of January when it’s empty and it’s a third of the usual price.
‘It’s a FORTUNE normally.’
Another offered his opinion and wrote: Rich? You got this back to front I’m afraid.
‘We’d bus to a tent in Salou in the 80s.’
‘Always has been, and still is cheaper than holidaying in Scotland or Cornwall.
‘For working class families, the cheapish package holiday far more accessible and inclusive than a cottage in St Ives.’
And it seems that those who took the time out to comment had a point – with prices at Center Parcs starting from £1,428 (depending on location) for a two bedroom Woodland Lodge from July 1 for seven nights.
Meanwhile, a flight and accommodation deal – a double room with balcony – flying to Santa Ponsa, Majorca, in Spain on 27 June for seven nights comes out at £692pp on TUI’s website.
However, following the backlash, the man in question went on to justify his initial Tweet and penned:
‘It wasn’t presented as a cheap option. When we went in 92 it was.
‘Of course it’s not now. But the point of the message was perspective.
‘My mum and I shared a chalet with another family of 4, not Greece, but did us fine.’
Elsewhere, others took the opportunity to discuss the ‘privilege’ of holidays in general.
Taking to the comments section, one person penned: ‘To be fair – you were doing pretty well if you could afford Centre Parcs!’ (pictured)
‘Any kind of holiday is a privilege, not a right, as far as I’m concerned,’ wrote one. ‘Time off from work is an entitlement, what you do with that rest time is a choice dependent on a variety of things.
‘But if all someone has to worry about is not getting a foreign holiday they are very lucky.’
A second sarcastically responded: ‘As a kid we never went on a plane but still left the UK. There’s this special boat you can put cars on to call a “ferry”.
‘We weren’t rich or on the game or had family overseas. We travelled at odd hours, camped or rented houses cheaper than a caravan.’
Following the backlash, the man in question went on to justify his initial Tweet and penned: ‘It wasn’t presented as a cheap option. When we went in 92 it was’ (pictured)