How much would YOU pay for this portion of fish and chips?

How much would YOU pay for this portion of fish and chips? Holidaying couple slam ‘rip-off’ seaside meal

• Captain Morgan’s in Devon apologised for the fish size but gave them extra chips
• The couple say the meal left ‘a sour taste in their mouths’ and won’t be returning
• Have YOU seen been served worse? Email [email protected] 

A holidaying couple claim this ‘shameful’ portion of fish and chips ‘tarnishes’ the reputation of a popular British seaside town and vow to never return.

Mike Turner, 57, was at the end of a six-mile walk with his wife Jane, 53, in Salcombe, Devon, on Sunday, when they popped into Captain Morgan’s for lunch.

The couple claim they ordered one portion of fish and chips to share as well as two cans of fizzy pop, which set them back £15.

Accountant Mike says they’d planned to get a sandwich each but they were ‘ridiculously priced’ at £8 so they decided to share a meal instead.

He says as the waiter brought over the meal ten minutes later, he apologised for the size of the fish but said they’d been given some extra chips to make up for it.

The pair said they were in ‘shock’ when they looked down and saw their meagre piece of fish which was only about three inches long – which they branded a ‘rip off’.

Mr Turner holding the £15 pound portion of fish and chips. The couple claim they ordered one portion of the meal to share as well as two cans of fizzy pop which set them back

Mike Turner (pictured), 57, was at the end of a six-mile walk with his wife Jane, 53, in Salcombe, Devon, on Sunday when they popped into Captain Morgan’s for lunch

One snap shows the portion with a tomato sachet laying beside it.

Mike slammed the business for ‘leaving a sour taste in his mouth’ and posted the photo on a local Facebook group where the ‘tiny’ portion was blasted by commentors.

Mike, from Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, said: ‘It wasn’t your normal chip shop, it was by a car park.

‘We’d been walking six miles and were super hot, hungry and exhausted.

‘We were going to grab a sandwich but it was £8 each and to me that’s [not acceptable] and I refused to pay it so we said we’d share fish and chips.

‘About ten mins later, the waiter came out and said he was sorry but the fish was a bit small but they’d put a few extra chips on the plate instead.

‘We look down at the portion of fish and chips and we were shocked especially for the price. It wasn’t cheap.

‘It was a tiny piece of fish. We put a tomato sauce sachet next to it and it was about that size.

‘You look back and think you should take it back and say it’s ridiculous but we were so tired and didn’t have the energy.

‘We just needed something to eat. We didn’t want that confrontation, I can be a little be opinionated, I would have said what I thought.

‘Rather than extra chips, they should have given us two small pieces of fish and the chips weren’t potato peeled, they were frozen.’

The couple had been celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary by walking the South West Coast Path but say the meal left ‘a sour taste in their mouths’ and they won’t be returning to the seaside resort.

Captain Morgan’s is rated 3.5 on TripAdvisor and on Facebook they describe themselves as ‘Salcombe’s longest running cafe’.

Mike said: ‘We’ve always been really supportive of locals, we use local Air BnBs, local taxis and local pubs so that’s what hurt the most.

‘They get a lot of business in the winter from people who walk the South West Coast Path.

Captain Morgan’s (pictured) were repeatedly contacted for comment but failed to respond

‘I know it’s a posh place and there’s multi-millionaires [around] but they’re just ripping people off.

‘It left a sour taste in our mouths because we’d had some lovely meals all weekend.

‘It overshadowed it, we won’t go to Salcombe again. It tarnished it. They charge whatever they like hoping that the majority of people will pay it.’

Some commentors on Facebook condemned the price of the meal and described it as ‘shameful’.

One wrote: ‘What? No mushy peas either. It’s not a cheap meal anywhere now but that’s ridiculous.’

Another said: ‘This is a rip off and typical of cafes cashing in on passing trade. This gives cafes and takeaways a bad name, not walkers.’

READ MORE: Cost of fish and chips soars by 19% to £9 as pub lunches rise to £11.05 and a pizza now costs £9.75 – how much has YOUR favourite takeaway risen by?

A third added: ‘Salcombe is a bit of a sham town with the amount of empty houses. That is a joke of a price. Won’t even be fresh fish for that price too.’

Others slammed Mike for attacking a small business and pointed out that he hadn’t been forced to buy the meal.

One wrote: ‘Although I agree that £15 is steep, I think it’s worth remembering that overheads for all these local businesses are going through the roof.

‘When gas, electric, rent, stock etc are all going up its inevitable that businesses are having to increase prices.

‘I think people will think differently when they visit lovely British seaside towns in the future and there is nothing there but big chain supermarkets and a Wetherspoons on the seafront.’

One said: ‘No really, do you have to post all this? Small businesses are struggling enough at the moment and we are tourists in one of the most expensive tourist hot-spots in the country.

‘These negative comments aren’t helpful in my honest opinion and just give South West Coast Path walkers a bad name.’

Another added: ‘Cheap as chips for Salcombe.’

A third asked: ‘Were you forced to buy it?’

A fourth wrote: ‘Why would anyone pay that?’

Mike said he wanted to call out the café on social media to warn other walkers so they don’t make the same mistake as him and Jane.

Mike said: ‘I posted it on a local Facebook group where people make recommendations.

‘We felt people needed to know. Around 90 per cent said it’s terrible, a few said that’s what you get in this day and age but it needs to be highlighted.

‘I’m a big believer that petrol prices are too high and people are profiteering left right and centre.

‘In the winter these businesses make their money out of people who walk.’

Captain Morgan’s were repeatedly contacted for comment but failed to respond.

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