Shut up about Barclay Perkins - The price of Barclay Perkins draught beers during WW
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Not only was the strength of Barclay Perkins beers falling as the war progressed, they were also becoming more expensive.
Though the worst of the increases happened after the end of hostilities. The price increases were almost always the result of an increase in tax. Not quite sure why some prices dropped by a penny in 1946. It does specifically say in the circular letter that the reduction was temporary.
The stronger beers increased relatively more in price. Both Best Stout and Burton increased by 75% between 1940 and 1948. XX and X increased by 55.56% and 62.50%, respectively. XLK fared best, increasing by just 50%.
This has to be put into the context of the day. Beer prices had been very stable between the wars, save for a blip in 1931-1933 when the tax was increased. In 1939, beer cost the same as in 1922. The rapid rise in the cost of beer must have been disconcerting for younger drinkers, who would have been used to stable prices. To those old enough to have been drinking in WW I, it all must have seemed depressingly familiar.
| Barclay Perkins draught beer prices in public bar (d) |
| Beer |
1940 |
1942 |
1943 |
1946 |
1947 |
Nov. 1947 |
1948 |
| Porter |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Best Stout |
12 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
17 |
19 |
21 |
| XX (Mild. Ale Light) |
9 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
| X (Mild Ale Dark) |
8 |
10 |
11 |
|
11 |
12 |
13 |
| A Ale |
7 |
9 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
| KK Burton |
12 |
15 |
17 |
|
17 |
19 |
21 |
| XLK Bitter |
10 |
12 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
| KKKK Old Burton |
|
|
26 |
|
|
|
|
| Source: |
| Barclay Perkins Circular Letters held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/01/521/1. |
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