Thu Sep 12 00:06:56 UTC 2024: ## Pint Prices Skyrocket Across UK, with London Leading the Charge
The average price of a pint in the UK has reached a new high, with a whopping 30% increase since the start of the Covid pandemic. While the national average now sits at £4.79, a stark regional divide reveals a significant disparity in beer costs.
Londoners are facing the most expensive pints, with an average price of £5.59, 80p higher than the national average. Some pubs in the capital are even charging as much as £8 for a pint of Guinness, a stark contrast to the national average of £5.18 for the popular stout.
Surprisingly, the cheapest pints can be found in the North East, with an average price of £4.56. A mid-country “belt” encompassing the Midlands and Wales also offers more affordable prices, averaging at £4.74.
This price hike has coincided with a worrying trend of pub closures across the UK. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, 239 pubs closed their doors, an average of 80 closures per month. The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) attributes this to the combined impact of the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
The BBPA is calling for government intervention, urging them to reduce costs placed on pubs by cutting beer duty, reforming business rates, and maintaining the 75% business rates relief. They argue that pubs make a meager profit of just 12p per pint after taxes and costs, highlighting the financial strain they are facing.
The association is also critical of Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed outdoor smoking ban, arguing it would have a devastating impact on the pub industry.
First Piper 