Palace denies Sir Michael shut bars
Buckingham Palace has denied rumours that staff bars were to close in another cost-cutting attempt from the Keeper of the Privy Purse.
The Palace also wanted to put the record straight on reports in national and London newspapers that staff bars were subsidised.
‘There are no plans to close the staff bars and the bars are not subsidised either,’ said a Palace spokesperson. ‘All the costings made in the reports are also wrong,’ he added.
Newspaper reports put prices of a pint and glass of whiskey at £1 and 30p respectively, but the Palace maintained that drinks prices were ‘similar to the national average’.
Sir Michael Peat, the first ever accountant to fill the post of Keeper of the Privy Purse, known for his ‘more for less approach’ has ensured a tight rein over the royal finances since he took up the job in 1993; much to the dislike of the old guard.
Sir Michael has made savings of 55% in Royal household over the last decade by eliminating a number of surplus luxuries, such as the royal yacht, Britannia.According to the Palace spokesman staff bars work on a similar basis to the nation’s much loved working mens’ clubs that offer the usual array of drinks at below average prices.
‘All drinks are bought from NAAFI at wholesale prices. Any profits made are put back into the welfare fund,’ said the Palace.
The spokesperson did however explain that a consultation process was underway to revamp the traditional in-house pub into a more fashionable coffee shop-type area. No decision is expected to be made before the end of the year.
Links
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