A seaside town in Essex is drawing crowds with an offer of classic 99 ice creams priced at just 99p, bucking the trend of soaring costs for the summer treat. Following a heatwave in late May, social media erupted with complaints about ice cream prices, with some locations charging up to £6 for a 99 flake cone.
Adventure Island, a free-entry theme park in Southend-on-Sea, has announced it is serving 'proper seaside 99s' at its Ice Cream Club parlour for 99p. In an Instagram video, the park highlighted the location opposite the beach and next to Sealife Adventure, with customers praising the ice cream as creamy and delicious, one man calling it the best he had ever tasted.
Annual pass holders for Adventure Island or Sealife Adventure can enjoy an even sweeter deal, with 99s available for just 79p. Commenters on the post expressed astonishment at the low price, with many pledging to visit Southend at the earliest opportunity. One person said: 'I haven't been to Southend in years. I think it's time to give it a go!'.
The origin of the name '99' for the ice cream—soft-serve in a cone topped with a Cadbury's Flake—remains unknown despite popular theories. The name predates decimalisation, so the idea that it once cost 99p is incorrect. Cadbury introduced a shorter Flake bar for the ice cream trade in 1935, calling it a Flake 99, but the reasoning is lost. Even the Oxford English Dictionary admits the reason is unknown and dismisses a theory linking it to an elite Italian guard.
Whatever its history, the irresistible appeal of a 99p ice cream in Southend is proving a major draw for visitors seeking an affordable seaside treat.
