The peer added: “There seems to be lots of grumbling about the quality of the House of Lords’ wines. Both the Chardonnay and the Sauvignon Blanc are really poor quality… Can something be done?”
Another complaint was emailed with the subject line: ‘No Lunch’. The angry author said they had arrived at one of Parliament’s restaurants to find “very little to eat other than a box of 2 pre-packed salads”. Having refused the healthy meal, they moaned: “My lunch today now consists of a packet of crisps and a packet of Maltesers with an apple.”
Discount meals
Despite making a £25m loss, many of Parliament’s bars and restaurants have actually seen their menu prices fall in recent years.
In the House of Commons, the average cost of food in the Members’ Dining Room fell by more than £1 between 2018 and 2021.
Last month, openDemocracy revealed that prices had become so low that Parliament was undercutting local businesses.
For instance, MPs could buy a pint of beer in Parliament’s Strangers’ Bar for just £3.45 in 2021 – compared to the London average of £4.84.
A margherita pizza in the House of Commons cost £3.51 less than it did at the closest Pizza Express.
And MPs could get a double espresso for £1.16 from a taxpayer-subsidised cafe – compared to £2.40 from a Cafe Nero that operates commercially in a parliamentary building.
A spokesperson for the House of Lords has previously blamed financial losses by the catering facilities partly on the fact that catering staff are paid the London Living Wage.
“The unpredictable nature of sittings of the Lords and periods where the House isn’t sitting means that revenue is not generated day in, day out, so a subsidy is unavoidable,” they told openDemocracy last month. “The catering and retail service’s income plummeted during the pandemic as most venues closed and external banqueting was cancelled.
“We also pay all our staff at least the London Living Wage and provide workplace pensions to our catering staff. We are proud to do so, but it means our costs are higher than some commercial restaurants.
“Lots of people, not just members of the Lords, use the catering facilities. This includes visitors, staff members, journalists and police officers.”
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