ERR spoke to businesses around Old Town and Telliskivi this week to find out about their plans for summer.

Vallo Palvadre, head of the Nimeta Bar, said prices have not yet been raised by there is pressure to do so.

"Today we have the same prices as last year. Summer and the future will show what our prices will do. The pressure to increase prices is due to the fact that the flow of tourism has not recovered," he said.

However, Palvadre is optimistic about the coming tourist season.

Kehrwieder cafe owner Vello Leitham said tourism is still a long way off what it was in 2019, pre-pandemic.

"Broadly speaking, we expect that from May to September the turnover will be 50 percent of the level of 2019. At the same time, costs have increased significantly: raw materials, services, wages," he said.

Due to this several venues have not reopened for the summer. Owners also want to raise prices.

Asked if he plans to raise his prices he said: "If rents rise unreasonably, prices must be raised or wages lowered. It is difficult to lower wages."

Leitham has hired four Ukrainian workers, recent refugees, and denies he has done this because he can pay them lower salaries.

"No - my story is more prosaic. My mother and father fled the Soviet invasion and they found people in Canada who took them from German refugee camps and offered them jobs. They were grateful for this for the rest of their lives, and my pattern of behavior comes from this experience," said Leitham.

Taavi Tuisk, a partner at Peatus restaurant in Telliskivi, said the restaurant is trying to keep its prices at the same level as in 2020.

"Raw material prices have risen, especially for food. We will probably have to review and, if necessary, adjust our prices, especially for the food menu," he said.

Rado restaurant manager Triinu Tapper said a small increase is inevitable.

"Our price policy continues to be to keep prices as low as possible, but it will not be possible to stay at last year's level. Today, there are raw materials that have risen in price by 80 percent," she said.

"The rise in prices has affected us so much that today we think twice before we buy something and we are actively looking for cheaper options," Tapper added.

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