1966 v 2021 – how life in Britain has changed between England’s two finals (but Ken Barlow’s still in Corrie!)

England’s long wait to contest another major final has come to an end.
By Simon Carter
Published 9th Jul 2021, 10:56 BST
Updated 9th Jul 2021, 11:07 BST
Bill Roache was playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street when England won the World Cup in 1966. Fifty five years on, he's still a major face in the soap as England prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.Bill Roache was playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street when England won the World Cup in 1966. Fifty five years on, he's still a major face in the soap as England prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.
Bill Roache was playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street when England won the World Cup in 1966. Fifty five years on, he's still a major face in the soap as England prepare to face Italy in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

The Three Lions will face Italy in Sunday’s European Championship decider and attempt to finally add to their World Cup triumph of 1966.

A lot has changed in the last 55 years, but one thing remains the same - Ken Barlow is still in Coronation Street!

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Here, The News takes a look at how life then compares to now.

Cost of a pint

1966: Two shillings (10 pence, or £1.75 in today’s money)

2021: £3.69

Number One in the singles charts

July 30, 1966: Chris Farlowe – ‘Out of Time’

July 9, 2021: Ed Sheeran – ‘Bad Habits’

Cost of a new car

1966: £950 (£15,968 in today’s money)

2021: £22,000

Average house price

1966: £3,620 (£60,848 in today’s money)

2021: £256,405

Top storyline in Coronation Street

July 1966: Ken Barlow starts a film society in the Glad Tidings Mission but one of the films shown by mistake is a nudist film.

July 2021: Todd Grimshaw reaches a new low as he steals from a homeless man’s funeral fund.

A ticket to the final

1966 World Cup: 10 shillings (50p, or £8.73 in today’s money)

Euro 2020: £81.78-£813.35

Average wage

1966: For men, £1,220

2021: £27,768

Footballer wages

George Cohen 1966: £1,400

Kyle Walker 2021: £7,800,000 (salarysport.com)

Litre of petrol

1966: One shilling and two pence (£1.02 in today’s money)

2021: 130.5p

Cinema ticket

1966: Four shillings and 9.5 pence (24.03p in today’s money)

2021: £6.75

Related topics:EnglandBritainItaly