Publicans in Spalding and The Deepings share the challenges behind the cost of a pint
Fancy a pint?
These are the immortal words my late father would often say to me, so off we would pop to the local for a Guinness or three.
Dad was a keen pub drinker - also a man of the cloth - so to hear that some 9,000 pubs in the UK are at risk of closure - well, he would veritably be turning in his grave.
And if he was still alive he’d get down on his knees and pray, or at least join the #Save Britain’s Pubs action group.
Now, and please don’t judge, I no longer drink alcohol - BUT - I do love a pub and a cool pint of nought percent lager or cider.
But with rising costs in utilities and suppliers along with staff wages - are pubs having to price themselves out of business?
I spoke to some Lincolnshire publicans and those in the trade about what the cost can be when we utter those terribly British words ‘fancy a pint?’ or, much worse, when we don’t.
Keir Moore runs The Moorings on Commercial Road in Spalding and, at the time of writing, his most expensive pint of lager was Peroni at £6.50.
He feels that getting the best deal with his suppliers is the secret to success in the pub game.
Keir said: “It comes back to the deal, getting the best deal and still being able to make a profit.
“Here £6.50 for a Peroni is the most expensive pint. Everybody knows what you get with Peroni but by building up a relationship with your supplier you get a little bit of money back.”
With The Moorings being slightly out of Spalding town centre for regular footfall - but it does boast amazing riverside views - Keir says his family-run pub ‘fights for every bit of business’.
He said: “It can be difficult being a bit out of town so it comes down to you as the owner to get the best deals you can.
“With some suppliers you get money back off every keg.
“But these are still challenging times.”
The hospitality industry faced major setbacks when Covid-19 hit and the pandemic put a stop to eating and drinking out.
Keir said: “We were always going to have to pay back the furlough.
“Across the board everything is going up.
“There will always be an increase - it’s just the way life is.”
Likewise the war in Ukraine had an effect on the supply chain to Britain’ pubs by creating a disruption to the global food and energy supplies - and increasing the costs of many ingredients.
Keir said: “The situation with Ukraine did not help.
“Some pubs don't survive without food but there are drinking pubs that are packed.
“In this area people love the food and it is important to get as many local pubs up and going.”
Keir, who has run the pub for 11 years and is in the lucky position of being mortgage free, looks at other pubs and their prices.
He said: “I make sure I do the pricing in a 20 mile radius.
“I look at the price of the menus as it is imperative that we get it right
“People need to support local pubs - use it or lose it.”
Over at The Jolly Farmer in Moulton Chapel, owner Steve Thorne wholeheartedly agrees that villagers need to ‘use it or lose it.’
The publican has ‘swallowed every single price increase’ to keep prices down for customers but relies on footfall and regulars to keep going.
Moretti is the most expensive pint at £5.50 and Guinness remains at £5 per pint, at the time of writing, which he says is a pound less than some of the big chains.
Steve said: “We are still probably cheap. In three years I have put my price up once.
“When I increase the prices I am only hurting the people that are supporting me.”
He is thankful for the ‘lads’ and regulars who use the pub but is ‘dumbfounded’ about the figure of 9,000 UK pubs at risk of closure.
Steve uses Bateman’s Brewery -an independent Lincolnshire family regional craft brewer, wholesaler and pub company established in 1874.
He said: “I use local suppliers and try to buy locally.
“Every single week I buy from George Bateman.
“But there is a limit to what we can buy locally.”
Steve also uses the local butcher for produce and sources fruit and vegetables from this area.
He says that price increases come from international companies such as Heineken and Guinness and so is ‘very conscious about pricing.’
Small businesses may not get the same discounts from larger chains and so supplies are costly.
Taking into account the national minimum wage is £12.21 per hour for 21s and over, there is not much change left for a session in the pub for an average working person.
Fenland CAMRA campaigns for real ale, community and consumer rights - is also calling on people to support their local.
Malcolm Phillips, chairman, said: “Many pubs are now at risk, having to find tens of thousands pounds more just to cover increased costs such as National Insurance, minimum wage and business rates.
“This is on-top of ongoing increases in food costs and the current high business utility rates.
“In many villages, the pub is the last remaining place for people to meet up and chat.”
Mr Phillips cites The Ship at Surfleet Seas End as an example of a pub ‘where the owners felt unable to cover the increasing costs and still provide reasonable prices for customers.’
He added: “It is currently on the market, looking for new owners and hopefully someone will take it on.
“There are several campaign groups with current online petitions to parliament to ask the government to step in and reduce the financial burden on pubs, breweries and the hospitality sector."
Colin and Susan Parkermade the decision with ‘much regret and sadness’ to close The Ship Inn on Reservoir Road, Surfleet Seas End and felt there was only so much they could charge for a pint.
When pubs close down like this there is a risk of them becoming abandoned in a similar way to pubs in South Holland such as The Bull and Monkie and The White Hart which have become grotspots.
The Bull Hotel in Long Sutton remains boarded up and The Bridge Hotel in Sutton Bridge will be turned into flats - places that used to thrive ‘back in the day.’
Dave Gowler runs a craft brewery in the Deepings that started off as a retirement project.
Bowler’s Brewery was established in 2019 combining the names of Mr Gowler and John Bowyer who he bought the business from.
It has grown in the six years since it started, with a bottle shop online and now delivering casks to pubs - the bowler hat logo synonymous with the brand name.
Mr Gowler said: “From our perspective we try very hard to keep increases away as much as we possibly can from the end user.
“Delivery charges, costs for ingredients have all gone up.
“We don't employ any staff and we have no premises cost and so we try to protect the costs as much as we can.”
In 2023 Mr Gowler acquired the Hopshackle brand which had been running in Market Deeping for 17 years.
He said “We are proud of what we have done.
“We don't take a lot from the business from a remunerative aspect.
“It is a tough environment - it is heavily taxed - we pay beer duty every month and we get a small relief.”
The market is competitive getting ales into pubs.
Mr Gowler added: “We deliver cask ales to pubs and supply our bottles online too.
“We do a lot with beer festivals, garden centres and nationally.
“From our perspective getting into new pubs is not easy, some may approach us for a different ale but there are a lot of small to medium breweries.”
Down at The Punch Bowl on New Road in Spalding, landlady Paula Stevenson highlights the need for pubs in the community.
Having ‘fallen in love’ with the pub and its clientele she relocated from Derbyshire to run it and notes how friendly the regulars are.
Prices are kept under £5 for pints with an emphasis on providing a community hub in the town.
Paula said: “I came as a temporary manager but loved the people and Spalding so much I stayed,
“It is like a village pub but in a town.
“We have young and old customers who know they will be looked after.”
Paula feels it is vital to go the extra mile for people in a friendly and familiar venue and be part of the community.
Kirsty Berry, general manager at The Red Lion in Spading agrees - and the most expensive pint remains at £5, at the time of writing.
She added: “That’s my limit.
“There are very few places where you can buy Guinness or lager for a round figure.
“For us it is about putting the customer ahead of profit.”
The Ivy Wall in Spalding is part of the national Wetherspoon chain.
A company spokesman said: “Wetherspoon, as a company, has always believed in offering great value for money in terms of food and drink in its pubs.
“That is something which customers appreciate. Some people might say that Wetherspoon has buying power because it is a large company and that is true.
“However, Wetherspoon offered value-for money even when it had only a dozen or so pubs with no great buying power.”
Financial support is being given from the HM Treasury which is responsible for public spending, financial services policy, taxation, state infrastructure and economic growth
A UK Government spokesperson said: “We are a pro-business government, and we know the vital importance of pubs to local communities and the economy, which is why we are supporting them with business rates relief, a 1p cut to alcohol duty on draught pints, capping corporation tax and are protecting the smallest businesses from the employer National Insurance rise - which is helping to fund the NHS.”
They went on to say that ‘the great British pub is a central part of our national identity and communities which is why we're working hard to support them.’
Avid readers of The Secret Drinker who visits pubs across Lincolnshire, pints may cost up to £7 at different places.
As I said, I don’t drink alcohol but there is so much more choice nowadays rather than just a warm orange juice or a Coca Cola.
I feel pubs could corner the market for nought percent drinks with much more variety - and appeal to the younger generation to meet up who might not necessarily drink alcohol.
I especially would like to see more alternatives to wine or Prosecco such as Nozecco or Sea Change to name a couple - which I will happily buy by the glass or bottle.
Thatchers Zero is my favourite nought percent cider as well as no-alcohol Kopparberg and Rekorderlig ciders.
With so many country pubs a car drive away it is a great corner of the market to sell to those like me who are a Des - designated driver.
So, fancy a pint?
As my good old Dad used to say: “It’s your round. “
Cheers!
What do you think? Post your comments below…
