The death of the 99 Flake? How a family-of-four is now shelling out up to £23 ... trends now

Ice cream men across the country have raised their prices to levels that have stunned even their staff amid the cost-of-living.

Prices for a single 99 flake have spiked to shocking highs of £5.75 - showing the drastic shift as Britain's favourite cone becomes unaffordable for much of the country.

The sun-drenched delicacy - said to be named after an Italian phrase that describes it as being top-class - is a staple of the country's parks and beaches.

But gone are the halcyon days when the sweet treats could be bought for 99p - with vans London, Birmingham and Newcastle all breaching £3.50 for a single cone last week. 

At one popular tourist attraction in Coventry, a mother forked out £5.70 for a twin ice cream with a flake. 

Outside a stall on the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, which is run by the Royal Parks charity, prices for a 99 are edging towards £6 - with extra toppings costing 25p extra.

Parents lining up with small children grimly accepted the rocketing costs as they prepared to fork out on the soft-whip desert.

One father, who was waiting his turn, told MailOnline: 'It is not the price - everything is increasing everywhere. The prices are increasing.

'It used to be three pounds last year - now it is nearly double.'

A second man, who was waiting with his daughter, added with a shrug: 'It is cost and location - it's for the kids and it's London.

'People are prepared to pay it.'

Since being contacted by MailOnline, the price of an ice cream at that location was reduced to £4.65. The Royal Pakrs claim it was 'an error in the advertised pricing'.

Safran Siddik manages an ice cream stall in Hyde Park owned by the Royal Parks - a charity that cares for the capital's green spaces - which charges £3.65 for a single 99 cone and £4.60 for a double.

The 20-year-old said that he would not be able to afford one of his ice creams - and he is used to customers complaining about his sky-high prices.

He said: 'Until a couple of days ago it was £3.50, and when I first started working it was like £3. 

'It's been three years. Every year the prices go up - of everything. Not just ice cream. Everything we're selling.

'I wasn't here, in this country, when soft ice was 99p - but every time I remember, they make little jokes that: 'Oh, this used to be 99p.' I'm like - that was 10, 15 years ago now.

'You'll never find something that costs a pound out here any more, especially soft ice. Everybody wants it.

'They know how to price stuff to make more money, which is fine - this is business. The customer can't really complain because where are you going to go to.

'I wouldn't come here. I've been here three years so I've seen everything we sell - I wouldn't on a normal day come to Hyde Park and be like: 'I'm feeling peckish, I'm going to get a banana cake for £4.'

'£4 you can get an actual meal somewhere else. You can eat proper food - chicken, stuff like that.'

The Royal Parks said that the price of an ice cream at the stall was £3.30 three years ago, marking a 35p increase.

Another vender, who did not want to be named, was selling ice creams for the same price from a different stall in the park.

They claimed that they had seen prices rise by several pounds in the time they had been there.

The person selling the sun-loving desert added that they believed it was 'definitely' the cost-of-living crisis that was driving up prices.

They said: 'People say that it used to be 99 pence, that it's expensive.

'It sometimes makes it more difficult to sell them. Sometimes they're a bit short on change or if they have kids it's a bit harder.'

The Royal Parks do not set the prices of their catering themselves, with each concessionary being able to increase the prices. 

A spokesperson for The Royal Parks said: 'The Royal Parks work together with our catering providers to maintain a quality standard in our food and drink offering. In order to do so, price increases to cover inflation and the cost of ingredients are sometimes necessary. 

'We strive to provide a range of options for visitors to our cafes and kiosks and prices are benchmarked against comparative venues and attractions. 

'Purchasing food and drink from our catering concessions helps the Royal Parks charity protect and maintain the Royal Parks.'

A council-run tourist venue in Coventry has also been slammed over 'extortionate' prices for ice cream.

It comes after one mum was left 'shocked' when she visited the historic Coombe Abbey Park during Easter.

Emma visited Coombe Abbey along with her young son on Tuesday, April 2. 

The mother said she was 'taken aback' by the cost of ice creams which were priced at £5.70 for a twin with flake.

Emma decided to go ahead with buying the treats and reluctantly forked out £7.90 for the pair.

If the prices were clearly displayed, the 37-year-old said she would have 'avoided' the kiosk, which is run by No Ordinary Hospitality Management.

However, a spokesman for NOHM said the prices were clearly displayed.

Residents have weighed in on the prices being charged with one describing them as 'ridiculous'. Another said there was 'no chance' they would pay the prices being charged at Coombe Abbey, which is owned by Coventry City Council.

Candy Coyle commented: 'I just looked and walked away telling my kids there was no chance I would pay that, more people need to do the same and the prices would soon come down!'

A second said: 'While people are prepared to buy, these prices will continue! Stop buying, the prices will

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