Price of a pint rises to £7 as pubs hike prices to claw back for lockdown losses
THE price of a pint has shot up to £7 as some pubs hike costs in a bid to claw back for lockdown losses.
Since reopening on April 12, a pint of Peroni has gone up by 60p in one boozer in Roehampton, South West London, from £6.40 to £7, reports the
Others have slammed the "shocking" prices, with one punter claiming a pint of Sam Smiths at their local has gone up by £1.10.
It comes after we reported how a pub group told its landlords to push up prices by 40p a pint because customers who pay by card "won't notice".
It's standard to see prices rise by around 4p and 5p on an annual basis, Monico Leisure Ltd beer consultant Marion King told the paper.
But she blasted a 9p rise as "absolutely ridiculous and anything over 12p "just scandalous".
She added that normally she would advise pubs add 10p on the price of a pint annually but that this year her company has had to add 20p to keep up with rising costs at the brewers.
Drinkers across the UK have already noticed the price hikes.
One person wrote on Twitter: "Anyone else gone back to their local pub & discovered the prices have gone up quite a lot? My local has put 40p on a pint."
Another said: "I paid £3.20 at my local before Covid. Last nigt it was £4.70 a pint. That's a massive increase and not something that a lot of people have disposable income for."
A third punter said they were hopeful pints would drop below £5 each again after forking out £11 for two.
One landlord said she'd been left with no choice to push up prices after her brewery hiked their costs.
She said: "[We] have to put up prices to reflect that once open as we can't swallow the extra cost right now!".
Pubs have been among the hardest hit throughout the coronavirus pandemic, being forced to close multiple times under lockdown restrictions.
Covid rules have left boozers missing out on some of the busiest times of year, including two Easter bank holiday weekends and Christmas.
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This month they have been allowed to reopen as restrictions ease, but only for outdoor service.
Thousands of establishments have remained shut due to lack of outside space and are instead waiting for May 17, when customers will be allowed to sit indoors.
Up to 30,000 pubs, bars and restaurants are at risk of going under if ministers don't stick to the unlocking plans, industry body UK Hospitality have warned.