Almost half of pubs in the UK are now charging more than £5 for a pint of lager, as drinkers feel the sting of ever-increasing costs. The price of a pint has swelled to between £5 and £5.99 at nearly a third of pubs (32%), while one in ten taverns are selling a pint of lager for between £6 and £6.99. Four in ten pubs are charging between £4 and £4.99, around the national average of £4.58.
Prices Soar Compared to 2008
Back in 2008, during the last recession, the average price of a pint was £2.30. Since then, prices have skyrocketed. Only 16% of British pubs sell pints for under £4, with just 2% offering pints for the bargain price of £2 to £2.99.
Business Owners Struggle
Justine Lorriman, owner of the Royal Dyche in Burnley, Lancashire, charges around £3.80 for a pint of lager but said that higher costs would mean her prices would have to rise by 10p next year. She expressed her concern about losing trade and the impact on her business. Lorriman said, "We're making less money but working twice as hard."
Industry Pleads for Government Intervention
The British Beer & Pub Association chief, Emma McClarkin, highlighted the pressure on brewers from inflation and an increased overall tax bill of £225 million in duty. She called on the government to bring down inflation and rule out any further increases in beer duty to support brewers and pubs. McClarkin emphasized that the cost of beer has only increased by 12% in the last year, half the rate of other consumer goods, while business costs continue to rise.
Pub Chain Faces Criticism
In a recent controversy, pub chain Stonegate came under fire for implementing "dynamic pricing," where drink prices increase by as much as 60p during "peak times." This surge in prices occurs at the weekend and between 5pm and 7pm on busy weekdays.
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