In a previous incarnation, Greggs used to be called Thurstons; they did a cracking ham and cheese pasty, cheese and onion pasty and a potato and meat pie. Name changes, so does recipe for cheese and onion with the ham and cheese pasty and potato and meat pie disappearing altogether. Proving equally hard to swallow is the Leeds United pie tax, as per the Yorkshire Evening Post article by Amitai Winehouse.
The bone of contention seems to be that an extra £5 levy is being added to South Stand tickets for the visit of Hull City, and presumably each home afterwards, with Leeds United fans dubbing the move a ‘pie tax’. Winehouse, writing in the YEP, says that, fans purchasing a ticket can redeem the ‘levy’ against hot food and a drink but it [the charge] is, “forcing those buying tickets in the South Stand to pay for food and drink, whether they want it or not.”
South Stand ticket prices, in line with those in the North Stand, were set before the season’s start with a Category B match costing £27, such is the categorisation of the Hull game. The pricing policy, in line with Football League regulations, was set by the club before the season began, but Saturday’s game represents a break in ticket pricing protocol.
Leeds fans purchasing a South Stand ticket for Saturday’s visit of Hull City will pay £32 as opposed to the £27 paid by their North Stand brethren. Factor in a walk-up charge of an additional £5 and a South Stander could be paying £37 to watch the Whites play against their East Yorkshire neighbours. In his article, Winehouse mentions that, “none of these prices have been publicised” at any time by the club, with Leeds United not replying after fans “emailed Leeds over a month ago.”
With such a move being increasingly seen as controversial, it seems that Leeds United’s newly incipient has left fans willing to chew the gristle over PieGate and let the club know just how they feel about this seeming victimisation of those wanting to enjoy the atmosphere from the South Stand. A spokesman for the Leeds United Supporter’s Trust said, “It seems bizarre to us that game pricing should change mid-season and that the £5 ‘meal-deal’ addition wasn’t voluntary.”
Replying to this, a spokesperson for Leeds United has said, “The club is looking at ways to encourage supporters to use the facilities and catering offerings on match-days. Adult South Stand tickets are now being sold as a package, which includes the advertised standard match ticket plus meal deal voucher.”
However, with fans apparently being ‘punished’ for exercising a freedom to choose where to watch their Leeds game from, the club’s stance that it is “to encourage supporters to use the facilities and catering offerings” seems to stress a particular kind of ‘encouragement’ at the point of a bayonet.
With this in mind, expect some blind-baked fury at Leeds United’s attempt to earn a crust with this £5 pie-tax.
