Pubs "foolhardy" to raise prices
Pubs that put up prices by around 10p a pint following tax hikes have been described as "foolhardy" in this year's Good Pub Guide.
The annual guide to the UK's pubs says many operators hiked prices in response to the Budget - "forgetting about the 2.5 per cent VAT reduction".
The introduction to the book, which is edited by Alisdair Aird and Fiona Stapley, states: "Many pubs hiked their prices by 5p or 10p this last April, blaming the Budget's two per cent beer duty increase.
"But this duty is levied on the price at the brewery, making the increase equivalent to only around 1p per pint.
"At the time of a very low retail price inflation, and given people's increasing tendency to drink much cheaper supermarket beer at home instead of paying high pub prices, the 10p increase in pub prices strikes us as foolhardy."
The guide states that the average price of a pint is now £2.68. The most expensive pint in the country is to be found in Surrey, where the average is £3.01.
Other trends noted include an increase in pubs brewing their own beers and pub meal prices remaining virtually unchanged.
Pubs held up for praise in the book include the Bell & Cross in Holly Cross, Worcestershire, which was named as Pub of the Year.
The guide states: "Everything at this charming place makes sure you come away feeling you've had a really special time; super food, staff with a can-do attitude, a delightful old interior and pretty garden."
