http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/415184/STUNG-FOR-EXTRA-15p-A-PINT.html
Brits get stung for extra 15p a pint
By STEVE HAWKES, Business Editor
Published: 08th February 2012
THE price of a pint is going up by as much as 15p — after eye-watering hikes by Britain's two biggest pub companies.
Both ENTERPRISE INNS and PUNCH TAVERNS have increased the prices they charge tenants.
The rises will hit more than 11,000 boozers — a fifth of pubs in the country.
And last night tenants said they had no other choice but to pass them on to punters. One said: "It's a nightmare."
Enterprise Inns blamed higher bills from COORS and CARLSBERG as it raised prices up by an average of 5 per cent. An 11 gallon keg of Carling will cost tenants £151.76, against £108.11 in 2007.
Meanwhile, a Punch Taverns memo seen by The Sun shows its prices will climb by up to 12 per cent from February 20. A "discounted" 22 gallon keg of Tennent's is jumping by £24 to £214.95, and a 36 gallon keg of Carlsberg by 3.4 per cent.
A stunned tenant told Sun City: "Each year they're trying to snatch a bit more from us. Remember this is before the Budget, so they'll put prices up again then."
Another said: "I'll have to put prices up by 10p to 15p to cover this. It will put a pint of Carling at £3.80. Where I am that's unheard of."
Enterprise and Punch tenants are "tied" to the firms and fined if they buy booze on the wholesale market.
DIAGEO put up the price of draught Guinness by 5 per cent. WELLS & YOUNG'S put up the wholesale price of its brewed beers by 4.9 per cent.
But one tenant said: "People like Enterprise get huge discounts from the brewers. We don't get those savings."
Enterprise said yesterday it does not discuss "private and confidential matters".
A Punch Taverns spokeswoman declined to comment.
The BRITISH BEER AND PUB ASSOCIATION claims the average price of a pint of lager was £2.69 last year — compared with £1.78 in 2000. It blames tax hikes.
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