It’s become the go-to conversation starter for pals coming back to the table with a pint in pubs across the UK: ‘Guess how much this just cost me?’
You’re not losing your mind. Beer is getting more expensive all over the country – and according to industry bosses, it’s close to crossing a devastating threshold.
The British Beer and Pub Association has said cost hikes from last year’s budget will force the price of the average pint past £5 for the first time.
Londoners may be asking, ‘Didn’t that happen about 20 years ago?’ – but this doesn’t just apply to the city where night-out funds go to die.
Pub firms everywhere say they’re expecting the average cost of a pint to rise by 21p once the new measures come into effect at the start of next month.
They include an increase in the national minimum wage, a cut to the business rates discount for the sector, and changes to employers’ national insurance contributions.
The Chancellor may have also announced a penny off a pint with a drop in draught beer duty, but landlords say that’ll be more than cancelled out by the rise in their running costs.
As we all know, not every pint is equally costly, and the coming hike may affect some brands more than others.
If you’ve ever wondered what are the most expensive beers on tap, industry news site the Morning Advertiser has published research ranking the nation’s favourite (and some not so favourite) pints by price.
The UK's 10 most expensive pints
- Beavertown Neck Oil – £6.36
- Peroni – £6.08
- Asahi – £5.92
- Birra Moretti – £5.82
- Estrella Damm – £5.81
- Camden Hells – £5.72
- Brewdog Punk IPA – £5.64
- Camden Pale Ale – £5.59
- Corona – £5.54
- Staropramen – £5.42
And for good measure, here are the brands least likely to make a serious dent in your wallet.
The UK's 10 cheapest pints
- Tennent’s – £4.02
- Carling – £4.26
- Carlsberg – £4.32
- Greene King IPA – £4.36
- Budweiser – £4.37
- Foster’s – £4.39
- Wainwright – £4.47
- Hobgoblin – £4.49
- Coors Light – £4.56
- Abbot Ale – £4.60
Again, certain readers are probably baffled to find there are places in the UK where you can pay less than £6 for a Birra Moretti – and they probably live around the south-east of England.
For those curious about the best destinations for travellers in search of a cheap pint, see the map below.
Despite Scottish nectar Tennent’s coming bottom of the leaderboard for price, its home country is not the cheapest place to get a drink.
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Instead, it’s the north-east of England that takes the crown, good news for any stag or hen parties heading to Newcastle.
But wherever you head, it’s likely to get more expensive in the near future.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: ‘No one wants to see the cost of an average pint increase by a further 21p and break the £5 average pint barrier that will be required for pubs to maintain their punishingly slim profit margins.
‘It is more urgent than ever that government looks at ways to cap or reduce the costs of doing business so we can keep pubs open, preserve their community value, and make sure the price of a pint remains affordable for all.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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