'Beer costs less up North'

It's another example of the ever-widening North-South divide - a pint of beer is now 51p more in the South than in the North. Pubgoers pay the most for a pint of bitter at £2.88 on average in the South East, compared to £2.37 in the North East, the country's cheapest area. Last year the difference was only 31p, says trade magazine The Publican​. - Sunday Mirror​

A further insight into the mood of the consumer will emerge this week with updates from a number of drinks and leisure brands. Wednesday's pre-close update from the UK's biggest pubs group, Punch Taverns, will be scanned nervously for signs of consumer weakness after the end of the World Cup. In early July, Punch reported its first sales growth since March 2009 across its managed pubs thanks to the tournament, and despite the England team's poor showing. - Scotsman​

It may be brewed by Devonshire monks, but Buckfast has been involved with some devilish behaviour in Northern Ireland over the last few years. Police have now revealed that the potent tonic wine — which packs a punch of 15 per cent proof and contains caffeine — has been mentioned in more than 100 crime reports over the past four years. - Belfast Telegraph​

An Irish political party has revealed it has devised a novel way to get young football fans to read its proposals on job creation. Sinn Fein will unveil a new beer mat calling for voters to support the party's plans to get 40,000 young unemployed back to work. - Press Association​