Pint’s steep rise ‘reveals pub woes’

A PINT of lager costs 80p more and beer is 65p dearer than justified by rises in inflation and tax changes since 1987, with the “sky-high” rents charged by landlords to blame, according to a study today.

The GMB union said that in a growing number of cases, property firms were replacing brewers as the owners of pubs, while many locals were being priced out of the market.

Between 1991 and 2000, the average price of a pint of lager increased by 46 per cent, compared with a 27 per cent rise in inflation; a similar jump in price was seen between 2000 and 2010, said the union.

National officer Paul Maloney said: “The financial engineering that led to local pubs being owned by bondholders based in offshore tax havens charging sky-high rents was organised by the City. It mirrors what happened at Southern Cross care homes. It is a myth that the City promotes free markets.”