Pier Charges to Visitors
Isle of Wight Observer, October 17, 1857
PIER CHARGES TO VISITORS
To the Editor of the Isle of Wight Observer
Sir, the disproportionate prices for admission to the pier must strike all visitors with amazement. Whilst the resident can enjoy the benefit of the pier at a very moderate rate, the visitor, on the contrary, is over charged most shamefully.
The amusements in Ryde are not very numerous; surely it is false policy on those who desire the good of the town, and which is best attained by a good supply of visitors, to shut up by such extortionate charges the chief place of resort in Ryde. If the object be to keep visitors off the pier, most certainly the managers go the right way to work. While the resident can get for the year admittance for three persons for a guinea, the visitor for that period is obliged to pay four guineas! Now, if that is not a glaring overcharge, I don’t know what is. Surely they might at least be content with DOUBLE from the visitor. Ryde will never be full or keep visitors for any length of time while such a system of overcharging is suffered to exist. But as it is”never too late to mend”. I submit this hint to the directors of the Pier, hoping that notice may be taken of this complaint from me, which is but one amongst many.
VISITOR
