Good Morning Britain viewers were left stunned by a guest who said she was planning to charge her family £150 each for Christmas dinner at her house – raking in a £400 profit for hosting.
Blogger Carla Bellucci joined GMB hosts Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh in the studio on Thursday morning to make her case for charging her guests on Christmas Day.
She admitted that she was expecting to make a £400 profit from the festive occasion, after taking into account costs including paying her teenage children to help out with the catering.
Carla explained: "First time I've decided to charge, I always do the Christmas dinner and thought this year, 'No, something's got to change!' Times are hard, I'm a working person, I've got to make cutbacks!"
But another guest invited in to argue against charging family and friends told her: "Go out for it then! Don't charge your family and friends!"
The guest told Carla that she should remember the true spirit of Christmas was the religious aspect and taking care of loved ones, joking that she would expect diamond carats rather than carrots on her plate for £150.
But Carla told her: "Even the carvery is doing £70, so it's going to be a nice do. I've priced it all up – £50 per person for champagne, the turkeys for 15 people, it all makes sense."
She also added: "I'm not forcing anyone to come, it's an invite! It's going to be a nice do!" She defended her "classy" menu, revealing that there will be a Champagne cocktail, turkey, smoked salmon and caviar, foie gras and Bûche de Noël. for her 15 guests.
As Ben and Ranvir asked her what the reaction had been from those she invited, Carla admitted: "Some have said no and some, like good friends, have said: 'Yeah, it's fine!' No one has been frosty, they know what I'm like!"
Carla added that she had a "no refund policy" for the dinner and said that she would be making a "small profit" before admitting it would be around £400.
She said: "I think I worked it out at about £400 but that's decors, heating and paying my two teenagers, they're not going to do this for free! No one is forced to come, it's a choice! I think a lot of people want to do it but they don't dare say it!"
Viewers were shocked by her prices as one person commented on X: "For £150 I’d want a waiter, silver service and B&B."
Someone else wrote: "Clearly this lady doesn’t want her family/friends to attend for dinner; she just doesn’t want to say."
Another viewer added: "Charging 150 each for your family n friends to come Christmas dinner ! F off ….. champagne !! then say people are struggling ! You are taking the wotsit."
One shocked viewer wrote: "Wow! My family are a collection of wrongens, but they have never charged me for Christmas dinner, and certainly wouldn't have turned it in to a profit making scheme."
Someone else commented: "Imagine charging for Christmas dinner, and your food is mid at best."
Source: Read Full Article
