I am highly delighted to welcome you to our first printed edition since February/March 2020. I’m very grateful for those diehards who have followed the magazine in its on-line format in the meantime but, to achieve its aims, London Drinker needs to have a physical presence.
So, the Budget threw up an interesting proposition (see page 16) but, in the meantime, beer prices continue to rise. We all want to see pubs survive and this, of course, means that we must use them. However, the £5 pint had already arrived in certain quarters well before the COVID outbreak and industry sources are predicting that a further rise of 25p to 30p is inevitable in the New Year because of factors which include the return to VAT at 20% and an increased minimum wage from April (not that I begrudge pub staff £9.50 an hour). The situation may yet get worse, especially for pub tenants, with the rent debts issue still needing to be resolved. Consequently, I can see why pub operators feel that they have no choice but to pass on these increased costs to the customer.
That said, what with inflation and increases in National Insurance, Council Tax and the like, a lot of customers are feeling the pinch as well and, courtesy of the lockdowns, they may now be accustomed to drinking at home or will take their trade to pub chains that, somehow, manage to keep their prices relatively low. I will not presume to tell publicans how to run their businesses but I can see a danger that pub closures may become a self fulfilling prophecy.
In the meantime, fingers crossed, we should be able to enjoy a reasonably normal Christmas and New Year. May I wish everyone involved in London’s pub trade and brewing industry, and their customers, a very happy festive season.
Tony Hedger