Police write 45 pages of lunch instruction - Scotland

upi ^ | Dec. 8, 2011

[JoeProBono]

EDINBURGH, Scotland - Police in Scotland have distributed a 45-page document to catering firms seeking to serve beat officers describing the desired contents of their lunches.

Lothian and Borders Police created the 10,000-word document in October to spell out the precise requirements for the sandwiches, chips and bottled water served to officers working the beat at Edinburgh soccer games, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

The police, who have a budget of some $109,400 to spend on 7,500 packed lunches per year, said the sandwiches must be served on 11-inch baguettes, 75 percent of which must be on white bread and 25 percent on brown bread. The document includes a spreadsheet listing the acceptable sandwich contents, including brie, cranberry, smoked salmon, cream cheese and prawn mayonnaise.

The document states the sandwiches must be filled to "the standard size and weight stipulated by the British Sandwich Association."

Andrew Cave of the Federation of Small Businesses criticized the "onerous requirements" spelled out in the document and said many small businesses would be excluded from bidding for the catering contracts because "they simply don't have the time to go through all this."

[JoeProBono]

[Hodar]

109,400 to spend on 7,500 packed lunches per year

Gee, that only works out to $14.58 per box lunch. only ....

[reaganaut]

British Sandwich Association???!! ROFLMAO!

Seriously though, that works out to about 14.586667 PER LUNCH. Must be nice.

[Lurker]

Andrew Cave of the Federation of Small Businesses criticized the "onerous requirements" spelled out in the document and said many small businesses would be excluded from bidding for the catering contracts because "they simply don't have the time to go through all this."

That's precisely the point Andrew, old bean. It's to cut the small businessman out.

[Secret Agent Man]

I’d guess again. Food costs more over there. It may not get you as much as you think.

[blackdog]

Beats the value of our $16.00 muffin for the government worker at taxpayer expense.

It would appear that the Minestry of Silly Walks has combined staff with the MMinestry of Lunch over there.

[blackdog]

My wife does business in Scotland quite frequently. The fare there for lunches is really bad. She usually gets a boiled egg sandwich from a vending machine. They do love their mayonaise though. It can be pretty gross.

[reaganaut]

Good point that.

[Fido969]

Page 45

Or a creme, 2 jelly donuts, cruller and muffin. Or 3 jelly donuts, a plain and a chocolate frosted. Or a lemon donut, strawberry glazed, chocolate and 2 french twists. Or...

[BfloGuy]

The document states the sandwiches must be filled to "the standard size and weight stipulated by the British Sandwich Association."

The British Sandwich Association? I expect the European Union to now step in and override these specifications with more stringent requirements from Brussels. But such is life under the rule of laws.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[Cicero]

Did they hold an international consultation with Michelle on this?

[JoeProBono]

HAGGIS WONTONS

[JoeProBono]

[colorado tanker]

See here, my good man, we at the Ministry of Lunch or as we affectionately call her, MoLu, take our responsibilities very seriously. What the devil would happen if purveyors could willy-nilly make foot-long sandwiches or ten inch sandwiches? Why, it would be chaos!

[surfer]

And now for something completely different...

SEMPRINI!!!

[Talisker]

That's precisely the point Andrew, old bean. It's to cut the small businessman out.

Even better, to include probably one particular sandwich supplier who can fit the particulars. If they can find out which one it is, they can nail the cops for a fraudulent request.

[JoeProBono]

[onyx]

Wonderful thread! Just in time for Christmas!