Removing some misunderstandings

Dontcha just love price fixing agreements? They’re such a handy resource. They don’t just tell you drinks cost, but also which drinks were regularly on sale. And what was on sale in Belfast was quite different from England or Scotland.

This notice appeared in several Northern Irish newspapers in December 1943:

“IN ORDER TO REMOVE SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS WHICH HAVE ARISEN IN CONNECTION WITH LICENSED TRADE RETAIL PRICES,
THE CENTRAL COUNCIL OF THE RETAIL LICENSED TRADE OF NORTHERN IRELAND
(Embodying all Retail Licensed Trade Organisations in Northern Ireland)
WISH TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO ALL TRADERS AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE OFFICIAL PRICES FIXED BY THIS ASSOCIATION ARE AS FOLLOWS:—

Porter and Light Beer on Draught	1/2 per pint
Guinness Stout, Bass and Younger’s No. 3 Ales on Draught	1/8 per pint
Guinness Extra Stout	1/- per bottle
Bass, Worthington and similar Beers	1/2 per bottle
Whiskey, Rum and Gin	3/6 and 3/8 per glass
Port Wines 2/6 per glass Sherry	3/- per glass
Australian and South African Wines	1/6 and 1/8 per glass
British Wines	1/- and 1/2 per glass

These Official Prices should be observed in all Public Bars Northern Ireland, and members of the Public are requested not to pay any more.

Owing to scarcity supplies, few Traders are in a position to supply whole bottles of Spirits. When, however, bottles are sold, the price must not, under any circumstances, exceed the figure which same would produce if sold by the glass across the counter.
J. M. O’KANE, Secretary.
6 Royal Avenue, Belfast. “
Ballymena Weekly Telegraph - Friday 10 December 1943, page 1.

Biggest differences with the rest of the UK? No Pale Ale on draught, unless that’s what they mean by “Light Beer”, no Mild Ale, either. Amongst bottled beers, lack of Brown Ale and Light Ale is the most striking.

On the other hand, both Bass No. 3 and Younger’s No. 3 were on draught. These were Strong Ales, dark in the case of Younger’s, not so sure in the case of Bass. In late 1943 William Younger’s no. 3 had an OG of 1044º, which was pretty respectable at the time.

The only English and Scottish beers – Bass, Worthington and Younger – are typical export beers. Or beers that were sold in other breweries’ pubs.

There’s a very heavy emphasis on Porter and Stout, which I guess shouldn’t come as a surprise. I’m not sure anyone brewed a draught Porter in either England or Scotland at this point. Even the London brewers had dropped Porter in the early war years.