The cost of a day out in the UK has “risen by astronomical amounts” according to new research by the team at Which?.
The consumer experts looked at the cost of attractions compared to when the magazine first launched 50 years ago.
In 1974, Britons could enjoy a visit to the Tower of London for just 10p, 90p in today’s money. Nowadays, a trip to the monument would set someone back a whopping £34.80 per adult.
A day out at Madame Tussauds cost just 75p (£7 in today’s money) in the 1970s but now costs £33 if purchased online and £42 on the door.
Meanwhile St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey used to be free to enter in 1974 but now cost £25 and up to £33 each.
But it’s not all bad news for cash-strapped Brits. Flights are far more affordable than in the 1970s when it used to be illegal for airlines to set their own fares.
Fares used to be managed by national Governments and a ticket to Athens used to cost £80 (£723 in today’s money) compared to just £175 in August 2023.
Despite this, today’s flights are much more expensive than the so-called golden era of budget flights in the 90s.
Package holidays are more expensive when adjusted for inflation than they were in the 70s but car hire is marginally less.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “For decade after decade travel and holidays became cheaper and therefore accessible to more people, so it’s worrying to uncover a recent trend of prices increasing, often significantly so.
“A golden age of affordable flights witnessed in the 90s and early 2000s looks like it may now be a thing of the past.
“The cost of a day out in particular has risen by astronomical amounts – with many of London’s most popular attractions charging entry fees that have far outpaced inflation and beyond the means of many people.
“There are still plenty of ways to keep costs down though – from shopping around and using comparison sites when booking a flight, to checking for online vouchers and schemes for cheaper attraction tickets.”
It’s a great idea to check if an attraction has tickets available online as these are often cheaper than buying one on the door.
