THE average price of a pint has soared to \u00a35.17 across the UK, delivering a bitter blow to beer enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
A new pint price survey has revealed the cost of a jar across England<\/a>, Wales<\/a> and Scotland<\/a> is now 34p higher than figures reported by the Office for National Statistics in February.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Beer<\/a> prices have risen sharply as manufacturers and pubs grapple with higher alcohol<\/a> taxes, soaring utility bills and increased staffing costs.<\/p>\n Trade magazine The Morning Advertiser’s latest survey<\/a> regularly examines the average cost of a pint across London<\/a>, the Midlands, the North East, the North West<\/a>, the South East, the South West, Scotland, and Wales.<\/p>\n According to its latest research, London tops the list for the priciest pints, with pub owners charging an average of \u00a36.10.<\/p>\n The cost of popular brands in the capital has also climbed, with a pint of Guinness<\/a> reaching \u00a36.45, Birra Moretti \u00a37.17, and Camden Hells \u00a37.05 since February<\/a>.<\/p>\n In contrast, the Midlands boasts the cheapest average pint in Great Britain, priced at \u00a34.68.<\/p>\n Tennent\u2019s lager is the most affordable option there at \u00a33.50, followed by Carlsberg at \u00a33.72.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Foster\u2019s and Greene King<\/a> IPA are slightly pricier at \u00a33.80 and \u00a33.85, respectively.<\/p>\n However, the survey revealed that pint prices in the Midlands increased by 5.15% between January and April, while London bucked the trend with a 1.22% decrease during the same period.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, beer prices in Wales rose by 3.87%, and the South East saw a more modest increase of 2.54%.<\/p>\n The survey also examined the average prices of over 30 beer brands, covering categories including lager, craft beer, cask ale, and stout.<\/p>\n Britain’s best beer ranked<\/p>\n It found that Camden Hells and BrewDog<\/a> Punk IPA are now the most expensive pints in Great Britain, with an average price of \u00a36.34.<\/p>\n Following closely behind are Beavertown Neck Oil at \u00a36.24, Peroni at \u00a36.12, and Asahi at \u00a36.11.<\/p>\n On the more affordable end of the scale, Tennent’s and Carlsberg emerged as the cheapest options, with drinkers paying an average of \u00a34.23 per pint across England, Wales, and Scotland.<\/p>\n Greene King IPA, Budweiser, and Foster’s, come with an average price of \u00a34.36, \u00a34.38, and \u00a34.47, respectively.<\/p>\n List of most and least expensive pints<\/p>\n Here are the most and least expensive pints across Great Britain, according to the Morning Advertiser:<\/p>\n BREWERIES AND PUBS STRUGGLE<\/p>\n Breweries and\u00a0pubs<\/a>\u00a0across the UK have struggled in recent years as the high\u00a0cost of living<\/a>\u00a0sees customers’ budgets take a dent.<\/p>\n The increased cost of brewing and beer prices, as well as rising\u00a0energy<\/a>\u00a0bills<\/a> have also had an impact.<\/p>\n Figures analysed and published by the Altus Group earlier this year revealed over 400 pubs across\u00a0England and Wales were demolished or converted for other uses in the year to December.<\/p>\n This saw the number of pubs across the two countries dip below 39,000 for the first time.<\/p>\n More than 34 pubs a month called last orders for the final time over the year – the sharpest fall in pub numbers since 2021 during the\u00a0coronavirus<\/a>\u00a0pandemic<\/a>.<\/p>\n UK pub numbers have now plunged by more than 2,000 since the start of 2020.<\/p>\n A number of breweries are facing trouble too, including\u00a0the Fourpure brewing company<\/a>\u00a0which appointed administrators in October and\u00a0the Magic Rock Brewery<\/a>\u00a0which said it would bring administrators at the start of the year.<\/p>\n Meanwhile,\u00a0Carlsberg<\/a>\u00a0Marston’s Brewing Company\u00a0(CMBC)\u00a0said in November it would stop making eight classic British cask beers following a review.<\/p>\n A number of pubs also warned they would have to hike prices for customers this year after the Government’s Autumn Budget.<\/p>\n Employer National\u00a0Insurance<\/a>\u00a0Contributions (NICs) and the national minimum wage both rose in April.<\/p>\n But businesses cautioned this would force them into upping the price of drinks as they try and absorb the extra costs.<\/p>\n Simon Dodd, chief executive of Young’s,\u00a0said the chain planned to hike its prices by between 2.5% and 3%<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wetherspoons also hiked the price of some of its drinks<\/a>\u00a0and meal deals by up to 30p in January.<\/p>\n What is happening to the hospitality industry?<\/p>\n Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n