The question had always been hypothetical, like how many times a Tory leader can alienate their base during a six-week election window or what is the square root of nothing (the answer might be Ed Davey’s approach to campaigning). But last Friday, I discovered the answer to a very different riddle.
How far would a person travel on the promise of a free ice cream?
I can tell you the answer. It’s at least 21 miles and I know that because that’s how far I went for a tub of soft scoop paid for by the Duke of Westminster.
Now, you might know the Duke as the UK’s most eligible bachelor, as well as one of the UK’s richest men (I suspect the two things might be linked) but I only knew him because he’d promised free ice cream to anybody in the city of Chester on the day of his wedding. What’s not to like? Or indeed to lick? So, I woke up early on Friday morning, skipping breakfast, so I’d have room for double portions, assuming they wouldn’t have some anti-fraud safeguard involving indelible ink like in Indian elections. Except, no sooner had I left the house than I discovered some guy on LBC telling the world about this offer. Judging from some of the calls, people were now planning on flying in for their free tubs. I’d be lucky if there was any left by the time I got there.
