Thursday, January 24, 2013

A second Irish Potato Famine?


 I was reading an Irish Paper on the internet yesterday and the headline story was that because of flooded fields and resultant monster increases in the price of potatoes as well as fish shipping fuel costs,  the price of Fish & Chips take out was going to double in about a month.

They announced the projected prices in Euro's and it seemed extraordinary - (based on my 55 year ago memories when an order of Fish & Chips was Two & Six (Two Shillings, Six pence) aka, 'alf crown'. (35¢)

So I googled fish & chips prices in England - and discovered that today - the average price for an order of 'one piece of fish plus chips' averages £3.30!! ($5.25) That ain't inflation, that's robbery and they announce immediate increases in the offing as well...   Like the old saying, "Ya' can't go back to yer youth."  Here is a brief lesson in Cost of Living Increases:

Cost of Living Increases-

The cost of a portion of fish and chips more than tripled from 25p in 1970 to 83p in 1980. From there it doubled to £1.68 in the 1990′s. From the 1990′s to the 2000′s  the cost of fish and chips “only” increased by 45% to £2.43. And the average price of a single serving of Fish and Chips in the U.K. is currently £3.30 a 35.8% increase in price over the last decade. However, in London the average cost of a portion of fish and chips is £5.00. ($8.00)

.... and that is soon to double? -- we may have another whole wave of Irish Immigrants. Which might not be such a bad idea..... 

Cor Blimey!!


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