IS LONDON LUXURIOUS?

Shannon News, 6 March 1923, Page 3

IS LONDON LUXURIOUS?

A BISHOP’S REBUKE. WHAT THE SHOPS REVEAL.. Is London the most luxurious city in the world? The Bishop of Chester Dr. Paget, writes in his diocesan gazette of London’s “provocative display of luxury in what everyone says are hard times.” A “Daily Chronicle" representative, who made inquiries in some of the West End shops, came to thei conclusion that. ,if London is the most luxurious city in the world, it is also the most economical. At one of the great stores the price of fur coats ranged from 4| to 350 guineas. *Th® woman of riches could buy a mink coat at the latter price, or a chinchilla wrap at 250 guineas. But the subcrban housewife and the city clerk could also be clothed in furs, and for 4| guineas they could buy sensible, warm coats. _ Bond Street had, marvellously-fitted dressing-cases, glories in tortoiseshell and gold, which cost hundreds of pounds, but it also showed bargains at sale-time prices, and it was the bargain that attracted the attention of the expensively-dressed society woman who was out shopping.

At. one "luxury” shop the inquirer was assured that Londoners do not shop more luxuriously than formerly. “A great number of ‘luxury’ articles are bought as gifts for special occasions,” was the statement. “People who, would not buy such things for themselves give them to their friends. Those who do buy them for personal use are generally provincials. It is the rich provincial who keeps the luxury’ shops in London alive.” The Bishop of Chester alluded to chocolates in, his article. London is eating more sweets than formerly, though Glasgow still has the reputation of being the leading sweet-loving city of the world. “Glasgow spends its Sundays eating sweets,” a maker of expensive chocolates remarked. Liqueur chocolates at anything from 8/ to 30/ a pound are in great demand in London. A fainous old whisky is used to fill certain iphocolatyss made by one firm, and others are filled with various liqueurs.