Live from the Bacon Butty Corporation

Man the barricades, chaps, there's a revolution afoot at the BBC. And, not unusually, the rumblings of discontent appear to be coming from the stomachs of the various toilers at Television Centre over the cost - as well as the standard - of catering on offer at BBC premises. Jim Connolly of the radio newsroom is one of four letters published in the corporation's in-house mag Ariel this week, with his complaint focusing on the "dire" standard of food and the fact that all prices have recently been rounded up to the nearest 5p. "When did the Royal Mint stop making one and two pence coins?" he rails sarcastically about the increase. "And why did the £1.06 for a coffee at the filling station round up to £1.10 and not down to £1.05?" he adds. Similarly thorny and important subjects are raised by David Kerridge, an engineering technician who is outraged that his morning cup of tea and Weetabix has increased by a "staggering 30 pence ... to £1.40". Why oh why indeed? Phil Tyler from studios meanwhile is upset at the hike of the price of his favourite "posh coffee", while Brian Brackenborough, an information security manager, is outraged that he now has to make his own sausage baguette which has also increased in price. They want answers, you know, but all Caroline Daubney from catering management can say in a response also printed in Ariel is that value is still good and staff want "consistent pricing across London". Monkey fears that this explanation will not be enough.