Cost of living crisis crunches kids’ summer holidays

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Parents say they will be forced to cut down on meals out and trips to the pool in the summer holidays as the cost of living crisis bites.

Families in Bermondsey – where 41 per cent of kids live in poverty – say they need more free activities for children to do over the six-week break.

They say activities available in the area during the holidays are too expensive and that the neighbourhood desperately needs free outdoor equipment and youth clubs.

The borough of Southwark  has the sixth highest rate of child poverty in the UK.

Dad, Kamil Szoma, 38, said his sons, Giovanni, 13, and Lorenzo, 9, would be doing less this summer to keep costs down.

Mr Szoma said: “The cost of living is absolutely through the roof. They do a lot of activities in the holidays, including swimming, but the swimming is private. It was twice a week but we’ll probably drop it down to once a week to save some money.

“We’ve already had to stop eating out and eat in more. Normally dinner will cost £25 – that’s like two bags from Tesco but it’s gone up by a third recently so it can be more like £30 plus. There’s no more salmon, honestly.

“We’re going on holiday for four weeks and they understand we’re lucky to be able to do that because we’ve been saving elsewhere. I think the free activities in the borough need publicising more as a lot of people don’t know about them. I only do because I’ve sought them out.”

In Southwark Park, Carmen James, 60 was among a group of parents and childminders enjoying a picnic in the play area.

She said the council and Government needed to offer free tickets to local attractions like Tower Bridge.

Ms James said: “Everybody is in the same boat. There should be free tickets so that we can take them to aquariums and places like the London Eye because they’re really expensive.

“You can’t take them out to eat anymore because it’s extortionate. You can’t even go to the swimming pool anymore because you have to book in advance.”

Linda Conteh said: “We will be coming to the park lots during the holidays – that’s the cheapest thing and the kids can play in the splash area. There’s not much free stuff in the borough. Even most places we go you have to pay. There needs to be more play centres and free playgroups.”

Other parents said the lack of facilities for children meant they had to trek to neighbouring boroughs for activities.

At Bermondsey Blue market square, mum-of-two Charlotte said she would be taking her two kids aged five and seven to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham because there was more to do there.

She said: “There’s a tiny splash pad in Southwark Park for about 100 kids but there’s little else there. We normally go elsewhere to other parks where there’s more for children like Beckenham Park. It has a big sand pit and kids can spend all day playing in it.”

Pictured top: Parents in Southwark Park, Bermondsey say there should be be more free things for kids to do over the holidays Picture: Robert Firth