Sofie Bell, owner of the Mablethorpe Ice Cream Company on the Lincolnshire coast, has appealed to customers to refrain from haggling over prices at her shop. Facing a daily challenge with bargaining, Bell emphasized that their prices are fixed for a reason, despite the shop’s reputation for affordability and fairness.
“We close for four months each year, and what we earn during the summer must sustain us throughout the rest of the year,” Bell explained to BBC Radio Lincolnshire. She recounted instances where customers attempted to negotiate using small change or insisting on paying with larger bills.
“I’ve made it clear that our policy applies uniformly—no exceptions,” Bell added. While the shop strives to support the community, she underscored that it operates as a business rather than a charity.
In a Facebook post, the Mablethorpe Ice Cream Company urged customers to respect their pricing policy, drawing comparisons to other retail settings where bargaining is not commonplace.
“We are a small business, and our prices are set,” the post emphasized.
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