With only eight weeks to go till the New Year, or 'Millennium' which ever you want to call it?
It appears to me that we are starting to get a situation reminiscent of the build-up to this year's Eclipse, in as much as, certain people see it as an opportunity to make some fast money!
No wonder the national media use the term "Rip Off Britain!"
What I am referring to mainly is the outrageous prices being bandied around for entry into public houses on the night!
The supplement in last weeks Cornish Times was full of advertisements for Christmas and New Year with prices of £20, £30 & £40 for a buffet on the night.
If there are people in this area who can afford these prices and it is what they want, then, the best of luck to them. I hope they enjoy it.
Most of us know that Looe is the place to be on New Years Eve but today I hear stories of exorbitant prices being charged for entry into various establishments in the town.
A large majority of the party-goers on the night will be teenagers, including two from this household who have been looking forward to it for a while now.
What fun will it be to pay for transport only to find when they get there they can't afford to get in anywhere!
Most of them will still be in full time education and can barely afford nights out on a normal weekend.
A slight rise on normal prices to cover costs on the night would ensure a good profit, purely on the large numbers of people out and about who would be prepared to pay slightly over the odds for a good time, but not the ridiculous prices being quoted at the moment.
So, will the coming New Year's Eve be a 'moment in history?' or just a 'moment in time?' albeit a costly one.
Personally, I think the latter, but costly for who?
It will arrive and pass in less than a minute, a lot less than the Eclipse, and that 'bandwagon' didn't arrive at all for a lot of people, mainly because of the pre-event hype and stories of high prices, keeping people away.
So come on you landlords, and club managers, etc., let's make it an enjoyable time for everyone, or may be we need a list published in the Cornish Times displaying opening times and admission charges (if any) over the festive period.
JAN HOLDEN
Higher Tremar.