oldexeterinnA blast from the past
Fifty years ago, Susan McPhedran and her husband stayed at the Old Exeter Inn and enjoyed Jugged Hare. Remember those days? Arriving in a town and going door to door looking for a room.
In 2022, Susan wrote us a lovely email, and enclosed the original bill. Mr John Luscombe was the Landlord in October 1975. The stay worked out at about £3.20 per person including VAT. That’s £33.65 in today’s money.
Notice that VAT was a very reasonable 8% back then. Today it’s 20% – a whole fifth added to every bed you sleep in, every meal you eat, every drink you enjoy. One of the highest rates in the world for hospitality. No wonder pubs are closing at a terrifying rate.
It’s nice that customers take the time to do these kinds of things.
This is Susan’s letter to us
Those were the days before you pre-booked everything. We had spent the previous night in Mevagissey and the following night in Somerton. It was getting dark when we arrived in Ashburton. Don’t remember if we accosted someone on the street for directions to a B&B or what, but we found your place. We had the room upstairs overlooking the street and ate in the snug so we were warm and cozy. No idea what possessed me to order Jugged Hare but I did. It was a bit gamey for me but the rest of the meal was great. As mentioned, these days we don’t leave things to chance. We want at least a queen-sized bed with bathroom ensuite, preferably with good shower pressure, etc. etc. In 1975, most of our friends from university might just about have bought their first car and installed a telephone. These are people we met in Canada who had returned to the UK. Right after the car and telephone, the central heating went in…….a different world. We have cousins living in Bishopsteignton. If the world ever returns to normal, we will ask them to drive us over for some refreshments.
Best regards, Susan
