The East Midlands city of Derby has been revealed to be the best-value drinking destination as the average cost of a pint of ale costs £3.60 – making it cheaper than many northern cities
As the average price of a pint of beer soars above the £5 average, finding a wallet-friendly pint can be a tricky task for the British pubgoer – but one UK city has been revealed as having the best-value pints on offer.
If you’re after a slightly less pricey pint, then your best bet is to head to the city of Derby. The average ale in the East Midlands city costs £3.60, making it the UK’s best-value drinking destination. Nearby Leicester came in joint second place, with pub pints priced at £4 on average, the same amount charged in the bars of Aberdeen, Luton in Bedfordshire, and Southend-on-Sea in Essex.
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Beer lovers will be surprised to learn it is not always cheaper in the North. Pubs in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool charge £5 a pop on average and it is not much better in Newcastle at £4.90 a pint, analysis by card payment solutions provider Takepayments found.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh and Manchester were two of the most expensive cities outside of London for eating out, with a three-course meal for two costing £20 more than Nottingham’s average of £70. Jodie Wilkinson, of Takepayments, said: “The idea that northern cities are universally ‘cheap’ is being challenged, with places like Manchester now ranking among the least affordable.”
The latest figures come after drinkers were told the average price of a pint was set to rise around 21p a pint, above the £5 mark. Pub bosses said the price hike was necessary if pubs, bars and nightclubs were going to survive. Research showed breweries expected to raise the average price of a pint from £4.80 to £5.01.
Meanwhile, the Mirror’s campaign to save the Great British local was backed by leading businesses in the north east of England. Stephen Patterson, Chief Executive of NE1, the Newcastle Business Improvement District Company representing 1400 businesses in the city centre, called for a ‘Minister for Hospitality’ to represent the sector at cabinet level. He said: “We are fully behind the Mirror campaign.We need a Government policy on this.”
The latest figures have revealed 300 bars closed in England and Wales last year, with 4,500 job losses. The news of a £5 pint comes amid a raft of cost increases linked to last October’s budget, which will come into force in April.
Firms face increases to the national minimum wage, a rise in national insurance rates and a decrease in the threshold at which firms start paying out national insurance. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: “The cumulative impact of these taxes and regulations is now plain to see. Pubs have punishingly slim profit margins and it is more urgent than ever that the Government looks at ways to reduce costs and keep pubs open.”
Deputy PM Angela Rayner has also voiced her support for the British staple that is the pub, saying she is “determined” to save community pubs. She added: “We’re not ready to call last orders.”
Ms Rayner, whose department is under pressure to do more to help struggling boozers, claimed pubs had been “decimated for over a decade”, with locals “ignored for far too long.” Her comments come as the government faces calls to step-up support for pubs in the face of soaring costs.
The Mirror has highlighted the plight of the industry with its Your Pub Needs You campaign. Among our three key demands is more support for community groups wanting to buy their local – whether closed already or not – to save it being converted or demolished and lost forever.
A previous scheme called the Community Ownership Fund provided money to save facilities important to local areas, including pubs. But it was paused during the general election, and pulled just before Christmas. Campaigners are calling on Labour to do the right thing, and reinstate it, or something similar. It is understood the government is working on further announcements relating to communities this year, including on the ownership of assets.
Ms Rayner heads up the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which was responsible the previous scheme. She told the Mirror: “Community spaces like pubs have been decimated for over a decade, and local people have been ignored for far too long. Pubs like the Sun Inn are the beating heart of our communities and we are determined to protect them. We’re not ready to call last orders which is why we’ve given £36million to save community projects across the country, including eight pubs.” That money relates to the last round of grants before the scheme was ended.