THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507140014
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
Oceanfront businesses want to know why the economy is slow. Here are two good reasons:
My brother and his family came down from New York. They stayed at a Beach hotel. When they drove to the 14th Street fishing pier, they were told it would cost $8 to park in the lot across the street for only a couple of hours. Disgusted, they parked at the meters (another rip-off at 25 cents for 20 minutes). My husband drove over to meet them and was charged $2 to park at the same lot! We're Beach residents.
On an evening stroll down Atlantic Avenue, my sister-in-law (50 years old and by no means drunk, obnoxious or otherwise) needed to use a restroom. She was charged $1 at the pizza restaurant on the corner to use the restroom because she wasn't a customer. What an outrage!
With this kind of treatment, word gets around. The families who vacationed here before, or thought to, will reconsider. Virginia Beach's Oceanfront has become the typical resort rip-off area.
CAROL TITSWORTH
Virginia Beach, July 10, 1995 by CNB