The price rise would be because of staff and supply shortages
The average price of a pint in the UK could rise above £4 as pub landlords warn that they look set to increase pint prices by as much as 30p.
More than eight in 10 pubs have announced they have already raised prices – or are their intending to – in order to cover rising costs caused by supply chain issues and staff shortages that the industry is facing.
A poll from the Morning Advertiser found that 81 per cent of pubs asked are increasing their prices this year.
Of the 189 respondents, just 19 per cent said they won’t be raising prices in 2021.
It comes after drinks wholesalers Matthew Clark and Bibdenum announced they would be putting up prices by 3.5 per cent from November because of rises in labour costs and fuel prices.
A spokesperson for the company said: “As our industry recovers from the pandemic, the pressure on UK and global supply chains has added increased cost and complexity.
“This has been further compounded by increased labour costs and fuel price inflation. While we work hard to mitigate the impact of these pressures, in order to be able to maintain the service we provide our customers, we have had to take the decision to increase the prices of our products.”
Research last month found that 99 per cent of hospitality business experienced supply chain issues, as the country grapples with a lack of HGV drivers.
There are also an estimated 134,000 vacancies across the hospitality sector.
Dave Mountford, the co-founder of the Forum of British Pubs, predicted that pub landlords would have to increase pint prices by 20p to 30p.
He told The Times: “In my pub that means I will be charging more than £4 for a pint of cask ale for the first time. It will mean much more in areas like London.”
A price raise could see the average price of a pint in London reach an eye-watering £5.60, with customers across the South potentially seeing the dreaded £6 pint become a thing of norm.
According to the Good Pub Guide, the current average price of a pint in the UK is £3.69, with the average price in London being £4.44.
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