Ten bucks for an ice cream? No thanks!

TOP marks to the Allora Show Society for a great event, but this experience left a sour taste in my mouth.

MY WIFE, my kid and I had a lovely time at the Allora Show at the weekend.

The wildlife show was informative, the petting zoo was cute and the equestrian riders were skilful.

There were pleasant faces all about... and plenty of shade.

All through the day I could see happy families hooking in to refreshing soft-serve ice creams, so I thought I'd treat my son to one as well.

However, that was not to be.

I spent five minutes looking for a van selling the sweet treat but was left shaking with rage after seeing the price tag.

They started at $5 for a single plain vanilla cone and shot up to $10 if you wanted embellishments like chocolate flakes or a scattering of hundreds-and-thousands.

Now, I'm not a poor man and over the years I've blown thousands of dollars on pointless junk... and beers.

But where do these people get off selling soft serves at such extortionate prices?

Worse, it is the lowest form of ice cream.

Magnum's range of Dream ice creams designed by fashion A-listers costs about $6. A tub of Ben And Jerry's is about $11.

Even better, a four-litre tub of Peters Neapolitan is about $7.50.

Where do these travelling merchants get off?

My (completely untested) theory is that the Showman's Guild has run wild with its monopoly on sweets and confectionery, as it has with tea-cup rides and show bags.

This needs to stop.

Originally published as Ten bucks for an ice cream? No thanks!