IF there is a moral from what I'm about to say, I guess it would be: Don't ever ever get out of your car in Beaconsfield.

Working at the weekend, I was forced to make a trip to Beaconsfield.

Unfortunately I made the trip without any advance planning, and now have to spend the next three weeks living like a hermit to recoup some of the money fluttered away during my fleeting visit.

My first error was to stop for fuel.

I was completely baffled by the price rise. The 73p per litre in Wycombe had somehow risen to 76p.

Thoroughly annoyed by this, I thought I'd calm myself down with a bag of fish and chips. Oh dear.

It cost me nearer £10 than £5 for a large piece of rather average cod which tasted nothing like the fresh fish I grew to love living on the coast.

When I thought things couldn't get any worse, a quick glance at the price list in one of the pubs was enough to realise I couldn't even afford a beer.

Dejected and skint I returned home, never so relieved to be heading back to High Wycombe.

I would love to know what's so special about Beaconsfield that people feel obliged to charge rude amounts for what many people would regard as necessities food and drink.

They'd probably argue it's all "relative."

January 20, 2003 16:30