A family have been left fuming after a vendor at Nottingham Christmas market charged them £618 for two hot dogs after a card reader mistake that added £600 to the actual price – and still hasn’t been paid back.
Laura Brumpton, 34, and her husband Alan, 37, paid the hefty cost without double-checking the card machine during a day out at the city’s winter wonderland.
The stallholder was quick to apologise and promise a full refund – but, more than a week after paying an eyewatering amount for the two festive snacks, the mum-of-two from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, says the money hasn’t been reimbursed.
Missing £600 at this time of year could force anyone to tighten their pursestrings, and Mrs Brumpton was left in such despair that she decided to share her experience on TikTok, in a video that has amassed nearly 5 million views since it was posted on December 13.
The vendor can be seen apologising to the couple in the video, and the 34-year-old also shared a photo of the £600 refund receipt that she alleges still hasn’t reappeared in her bank account.
“The vendor was very apologetic. It was an honest mistake,” Mrs Brumpton told the Daily Mirror.
“She said, ‘I can give you a refund. It should take about an hour.’ But it’s still not there now. It’s a lot of money to be missing just before Christmas.”
She also suggested that the cost of the sausages should have been included in the refund for the inconvenience caused, joking that at least Ryley, 14, and Florence, 10, had enjoyed the jaw-droppingly pricey hot dogs.
“It’s just typical of our family. We have a lot of bad luck,” she said. “It was just a very expensive day out.”
The TikTok video has attracted 4.8 million views in two weeks, with other users of the platform also outraged that the cost of the food wasn’t included in the refund.
“Can’t believe they didn’t refund the hot dogs as well as an apology,” one person wrote, while another added: “I can’t believe she didn’t refund the full amount for the inconvenience and error.”
“Waiting for that £600 refund to hit would be a killer for me this month!” someone else said, prompting Mrs Brumpton to reply, “Yep, me too – looks like we’re on beans on toast for the rest of the month”.
Meanwhile, others joked that £600 was “a bargain for two hot dogs at a Christmas market” and advised caution when paying on card readers. “This is why you should ALWAYS check what they’ve typed in before you put your card on the reader,” one person warned.