The price of a pint in London has surpassed £10 as beer costs soar across the UK.
A number of high-end establishments are charging £10 for draught or bottled beer, including Stanley’s rooftop bar in Mayfair, where a pint of Moretti will set you back £11.
The bar, which is attached to the Chesterfield hotel, is also selling Guinness for £10 a pint and half pints for £8.
At the Connaught Grill, a 330ml bottle of Noam lager or Curious IPA will set punters back a whopping £12.50.
Still, the capital is not the most expensive city in the UK to buy a pint, with the average price sitting at £6.50, 25p less than in Oxford.
In the UK, the average pint price is £4.52, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
Industry experts have long been warning against government policies which punish the hospitality industry, including taxes on alcohol, minimum wage increases, and business rates.
Camra (The Campaign for Real Ale) is just one of the lobby groups that has called for lower beer taxes and worked to preserve business for local pubs, breweries, and distillers.
Ash Corbett-Collins, Camra’s chair, told The Telegraph: “It’s not surprising pint prices are rising across London and the UK, but our pubs and breweries should not be blamed. Extreme financial pressures from the Government are forcing publicans to either raise their prices or consider closing for good.
“The Government must recognise pubs for the essential wellbeing benefits their community spaces provide, and their essential contributions to the economy.
“They must recognise increased employer National Insurance contributions are adding to cost pressures, commit to a fairer business rates system, lower VAT on food and drink for hospitality businesses as well as alcohol duties so publicans can keep their doors open and pub-going becomes affordable again.”
The government was pressured into U-turn business rate relief for the hospitality industry in January.
But, distillers and breweries across the country have continued to warn against the Treasury’s tax raid.
