Price of a pint up 5.5% on last year

By Ewan Turney

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Real ale Cost Public house

Harveys brewery joint MD Miles Jenner and Camra's Paula Waters express dissatisfaction at the cost to the consumer
Harveys brewery joint MD Miles Jenner and Camra's Paula Waters express dissatisfaction at the cost to the consumer
The price of a pint of real ale has increased by an average of 5.5% since last year's Budget, according to new figures from the Camra.

The price of a pint of real ale in Britain has increased by an average of 5.5% since last year's Budget, according to new figures from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

The organisation blamed the Chancellor's combined 18% rise in duty last year for the increase in prices and called for plans for a further 2% above inflation rise to be scrapped.

It said that the cost to the consumer of the beer duty hikes had been in excess of £3bn.

The average cost of a pint of real is now £2.59 with the most expensive area being London at £2.79 a pint.

The East Midlands recorded the largest increase in price of 9.1% on last year. A pint now costs £2.39 there.

Independent freehouses suffered the biggest increase, with prices rising 6.2%.

Camra's national executive gathered at Harvey's brewery in Sussex on Friday last week to urge the Chancellor to freeze duty.

"Both the publican and the pub-goer are suffering at the hands of disproportionate increases in beer taxation," said Camra chief executive Mike Benner.

"Beer prices across the board are increasing way above the rate of inflation and the Government must act now to give well-run community pubs a break."

He added: "In addition to the 18% increase in beer tax last year, the Government appear committed to punishing responsible pub-goers with a 2% above inflation rise in beer tax year after year.

"A decision to abandon this unfair, inflation-busting tax escalator and freeze beer tax are key remedies for preventing what has previously been described as a bloodbath of pub closures across the land."

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