Cost of living crisis hits boozers with pint of Guinness costing almost €8 in some pubs

As inflation continues to challenge both businesses and their consumers, many pubs have increased the price of a pint by around 20c.

The Irish Independent surveyed pubs across Ireland ahead of St Patrick’s Day and returned for another price-check after months of inflation.

The Temple Bar pub in Dublin – which had charged customers €7.60 for a pint of Guinness in March of this year – is now selling a pint of the black stuff for €7.95. And a pint of Heineken in the same bar will set back a typical customer €8.95.

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) has said many pubs are dealing with a 300pc rise in energy bills, making business difficult. The Temple Bar did not respond to a request for a comment.

In our study of more than 100 pubs in Dublin city, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Drogheda, many bars have increased the price of their pint. We did not include restaurants, hotel bars and other licensed premises where pints may be even more expensive.

In Cork, prices have increased in some pubs by as much as 20c. The most expensive pint of Guinness we could find was €5.90. In March it was €5.70. The priciest Heineken in Cork was €6.

The most expensive Guinness we found in a Galway pub was €5.40. In March the most expensive was €5.20 – another 20c increase. The priciest Heineken we found in September was €6 in Galway.

In Waterford a pint of Guinness in the pub costs up to €5.50. But in March of this year, the priciest Guinness was €5.30. The most expensive pint of Heineken in the city now costs €5.90.

Drogheda has, however, reversed the upward trend. There, Guinness topped out at €5.30 per pint this month. This was 20c cheaper than the most expensive pint in March – €5.50. The most expensive pint of Heineken we found in Drogheda was €5.50.

One of the cheapest pubs in Drogheda is McDonnells with a price of €4.60 for Guinness, the same as in March, and €5 for Heineken.

Meanwhile Limerick may have stabilised prices. The most expensive pint of Guinness we could find this month was €5.90, as in March.

At the highest point, a pint of Heineken costs €6 in the city, according to our findings.

Compared to March, there was more reluctance among pubs to state their prices.

One Cork pub owner hung up when asked over the phone about the price of his pints.

When we phoned back, he responded: “We don’t take part in surveys about the price of our drinks. If consumers come in, they know the price.”

Another Cork pub, which charges €5.90 for Guinness and €5.40 for Heineken, confirmed that it increases prices by 10c after midnight.

At one Drogheda pub that charges €4.60 for Guinness and €5 for Heineken, a spokesman said: “We imagine there will unfortunately have to be further price increases to try to offset further utility price increases.”

McDonnell’s pub on Drogheda’s Chord Road charges €4.60 for a pint of Guinness, as in March, and €5 for a pint of Heineken

Paul Clancy, Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) CEO, said: “There’s a deep worry in the pub trade about their actual survival in the coming winter. Publicans have already experienced massive cost increases in everything associated with running a pub, from food to insurance and energy.

“There’s a widespread expectation about further energy cost increases to the point that many pubs are thinking of closing their pubs mid-week to help reduce heating bills.

“We have the second highest excise rate on alcohol in Europe, which places further pressure on pubs. The Government must intervene if the hospitality sector is to survive.”