Alcoholic drinks sold in the Members’ Bar

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FoI 13-20

02 April 2020

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I can confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission holds information relevant to your request of 18 February 2020.  In your request you asked for the following information:

“I am seeking the following information under the Freedom of Information Act for the 2018 and 2019 years, as well as 2020 to date.

1. A month by month breakdown of the total GBP cost of alcoholic drinks sold in the Stormont Member's Bar

2. A breakdown of which alcoholic beverages were sold each month and in what quantity

3. A month by month breakdown of overall revenue generated by the Member's Bar over the specified years in GBP

4. A price list / menu for the three relevant years (alternatively a single price list should these prices have remained consistent)

5. If possible in addition to the above questions, could you specify the total value of alcohol sales on the dates listed below: - March 20th 2019 - April 2nd 2019 - October 19th 2019 - December 12th 2019 - January 23rd 2020.”

Clarification of your request was sought on 19 February 2020 as follows:

if with reference to question 1, that you meant the total sales of alcoholic drinks in the Members’ Bar?

Your response of 12 February 2020 provided the following clarification:

Yes, that is correct - the total sales of alcoholic drinks in the Members’ Bar to customers. To give a hypothetical example: in June of 2018, customers purchased £1,000 worth of alcohol.

Further clarification of your request was sought on 9 March 2020 as follows:

With regard to point 2, in order to provide your information in a clear and comprehensible manner, will you provide clarity on the format which you wish to receive these figures?  For instance, presented by classification of alcohol type – Beer/Wine/Spirits.”

Your response of 12 February 2020 provided the following clarification:

“In answer to your question, please could you format the data Including brand and measure on top of the number sold?  For example, Guinness (pint) 100x sold.”

Please see information in relation to your request attached at Appendix A.

 

If you feel that the information we have provided does not meet your request fully, please contact this office as soon as possible.  You have the right to request a formal review by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission and if you wish to do so, please write to me at the above address.

If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,  Cheshire SK9 5AF who will undertake an independent review.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.  Please remember to quote the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

INFORMATION STANDARDS

 

Appendix A

Please find below answers in relation to your questions 1-5 asked within the above Freedom of Information Request.

1. A month by month breakdown of the total GBP cost of alcoholic drinks sold in the Stormont Member's Bar

As clarified please find below a table setting out the month-by-month total net sales of alcoholic beverages in the Members’ Bar. It should be noted that not all of these costs can be attributed to those Assembly pass holders who are permitted to use the Members’ Bar; there are occasions when alcohol is requested at Public Dining and during various Events/Functions, held at Parliament Buildings and some of these sales are traded through the Members’ Bar. These figures are included in the totals provided below. During the period when the Northern Ireland Assembly was not meeting, the Members’ Bar was closed at times (in 2018 and 2019), therefore no alcohol sales were generated in those months.

Members’ Bar201820192020

January

£0.00

£3.33

£3.75

February

£18.42

£6.67

-

March

£238.87

£58.91

-

April

£5.00

£10.83

-

May

£88.33

£0.00

-

June

£51.58

£0.00

-

July

£48.25

£0.00

-

August

£804.79

£0.00

-

September

£0.00

£0.00

-

October

£89.75

£0.00

-

November

£74.12

£0.00

-

December

£395.12

£0.00

-

 

2. A breakdown of which alcoholic beverages were sold each month and in what quantity is provided in the table below.

2018 (please note yearly tariff review on 1st April)

ProductsFebruaryMarchAprilMayJune
NameMeasureQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet sales

Brandy

25ml

2

£5.58

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. Merlot

¼ Bottle

4

£12.84

 

 

 

 

8

£26.66

3

£10.00

Budweiser

330ml

 

 

17

£48.17

 

 

7

£20.42

 

 

Bulmers

330ml

 

 

2

£5.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coors

330ml

 

 

32

£90.66

 

 

7

£20.42

 

 

Gord. Gin

25ml

 

 

12

£30.00

 

 

2

£5.42

 

 

Guinness

440ml can

 

 

9

£29.62

 

 

3

£9.99

 

 

Prosecco

75cl

 

 

1

£20.42

 

 

 

 

2

£41.58

Whisky

25ml

 

 

6

£15.00

2

£5.00

 

 

 

 

Smirnoff

25ml

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

£5.42

 

 

Total

£18.42

£238.87

£5.00

£88.33

£51.58

 

ProductsJulyAugustOctoberNovemberDecember
NameMeasureQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet sales

Prosecco

¼ Bottle

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£5.63

5

£27.51

C. Merlot

¼ Bottle

2

£6.67

32

£106.67

19

£63.33

6

£20.00

12

£40.00

Budweiser

330ml

 

 

34

£99.17

 

 

5

£14.58

2

£5.83

Brandy

35ml

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£2.92

Coors

330ml

 

 

75

£218.75

 

 

 

 

2

£5.83

Gord. Gin

25ml

 

 

133

£360.20

2

£5.42

3

£8.75

33

£90.62

Guinness

440ml can

 

 

6

£20.00

2

£6.67

2

£7.50

12

£45.00

Prosecco

75cl

2

£41.58

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£20.42

L. Condes Red

25ml

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£14.33

1

£14.33

L.Condes White

75cl

 

 

 

 

1

£14.33

 

 

4

£58.08

L.Condes White

¼ Bottle

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£3.33

 

 

Hilden Beers

500ml

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

£78.75

Magners

500ml

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

£5.83

Total

£48.25

£804.79

£89.75

£74.12

£395.12

 

2019 (please note yearly tariff review on 1st April)

ProductsJanuaryFebruaryMarchApril
NameMeasureQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet salesQtyNet sales

C. Merlot

¼ Bottle

1

£3.33

2

£6.67

3

£9.99

 

 

Gord. Gin

25ml

 

 

 

 

5

£14.59

 

 

H. of Stone

S. Blc

75cl

 

 

 

 

1

£20.00

 

 

L.Condes White

75cl

 

 

 

 

1

£14.33

 

 

Prosecco

¼ Bottle

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

£10.83

Total

£3.33

£6.67

£58.91

£10.83

 

2020

ProductsJanuary
NameMeasureQtyNet sales

Hilden Beer

500ml

1

£3.75

Total

£3.75

 

3. Please find below a table setting out the month-by-month total net sales (food and beverages) in the Members’ Bar. As noted in the response to Question 1, not all of these costs can be attributed to those Assembly pass holders who are permitted to use the Members’ Bar; some of the sales from Public Dining and various Events/Functions are traded through the Members’ Bar. These figures are included in the totals provided below. During the period when the Northern Ireland Assembly was not meeting, the Members’ Bar was closed at times, therefore no sales were generated in those months.

Members’ Bar201820192020

January

£424.80

£425.54

£222.14

February

£460.05

£707.07

-

March

£686.58

£603.57

-

April

£358.29

£790.05

-

May

£569.66

£0.00

-

June

£581.66

£0.00

-

July

£2,297.71

£0.00

-

August

£2,965.45

£0.00

-

September

£708.69

£0.00

-

October

£490.28

£0.00

-

November

£1,243.58

£0.00

-

December

£1,909.00

£0.00

-

 

4. Please find below the price lists applicable during the period requested. Please note there was a change of catering services provider in early 2018, hence the change in format.

  • Price list applicable from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

Budweiser £3.40

Guinness £3.25

Harp £3.00

Cider £3.00
¼ bottle wine £3.65

Gin/Vodka/Whiskey £3.00

Bacardi £3.00

Brandy £3.35

Liqueur £3.00

Baileys / Port £3.00

Minerals (can) £0.80

Fruice £1.35

Water (500ml) £1.00

 

  • Price list applicable from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019

Budweiser £3.50

Guinness £4.00

Harp £3.50

Cider £3.50

¼ bottle wine £4.00

Gin/Vodka/Whiskey £3.25

Bacardi £3.25

Brandy £3.50

Liqueur £3.25

Baileys / Port £3.35

Minerals (can) £0.85

Fruice £1.40

Water (500ml) £1.05

Coke (can) £0.95

Pot of Tea £0.55

Herbal Tea £0.65

Filter Coffee £0.80

Large Filter Coffee £1.15

Americano £1.20

Cappuccino £1.20

Latte £1.20

Espresso £1.10

Large Scone £0.40

Traybake £0.85

Jam £0.15

Butter £0.15

 

  • Price list applicable from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020

Budweiser £3.75

Guinness £4.00

Bacardi £3.50

Kilmegan Cider £7.00

¼ bottle wine £4.00

Gin/Vodka/Whiskey £3.50

Liqueur £3.50

Brandy £4.00

Shortcross Gin £4.50

Baileys / Port £3.50

Minerals (can) £0.85

Jawbox Gin £4.50

Water £1.05

Fruice £1.40

Pot of Tea £0.60

Coke (can) £0.95

Filter Coffee £0.85

Herbal Tea £0.70

Americano £1.25

Cappuccino £1.25

Latte £1.25

Espresso £1.10

Scone £0.45

Traybake £0.90

Jam £0.15

Butter £0.15

 

5. The total net value of alcohol sales on specific dates is provided below:

  • 20 March 2019 - £44.59
  • 2 April 2019 - £10.83
  • 19 October 2019 - £0.00
  • 12 December 2019 - £0.00
  • 23 January 2020 - £0.00

Find MLAs

Find your MLAs

Locate MLAs

Search

News and Media Centre

Visit the News and Media Centre

Read press releases, watch live and archived video

Find out more

Follow the Assembly

Follow the Assembly on our social media channels

Keep up-to-date with the Assembly

Find out more

Useful Contacts

Contact us

Contacts for different parts of the Assembly

Contact Us