'Marston's raises beer prices by two per cent'
The price of a pint of beer across the Black Country and beyond has gone up by at least 5p, it has been revealed. Banks's brewer Marston's confirmed that it had increased the wholesale price of its beers by two per cent - meaning a pint of Bank's Bitter will cost drinkers at least £2.50, and as much as £2.80 or more. Marston's said the increase had been brought in following a 15-month price freeze, with the last increase being on October 1, 2008. Steve Benton, head of Marston's commercial team, said: "This increase is in line with inflation, but is still below competitors' recent price rise announcements."- Express & Star
Women who like a glass of wine after work can relax: they are likely to gain less weight than those who stick to mineral water. Moderate female drinkers also have a lower risk of obesity than teetotallers, according to new research. The findings, from a study of more than 19,000 women, are at odds with most dietary advice: that alcohol consumption leads to weight gain. The research suggests that a calorie from alcohol has less impact on weight than a calorie from other foods. - Sunday Times
Drinking sugar-sweetened soft drinks has been linked by American researchers to an increase in new cases of diabetes and heart disease. The drinks - excluding 100 per cent fruit juice - contain between 120 to 200 calories per drink and play a major role in the rising tide of obesity. Now the researchers are calling for a health tax on soft drinks to pay for the increased cost of treating victims of coronary disease and diabetes. - Daily Telegraph
And finally…
Pub owners from Limerick will meet police representatives to try and overturn one of the last relics of old Catholic Ireland - the ban on pubs opening on Good Friday. At stake is up to £4.5m, the estimated windfall for the city's pubs, restaurants and shops from fans visiting the city for the Magners League clash between Leinster and Munster on April 2. The 1927 Intoxicating Liquor Act enshrined the law that pubs cannot sell alcoholic drink on Christmas Day, Good Friday and St Patrick's Day. The rule about not selling booze on St Patrick's Day was subsequently repealed. - Irish Independent
