Fears of a national Guinness shortage last year had drinkers rushing to their locals to get their hands on the black stuff – but now a fresh crisis is facing the popular drink.
Pub owners have complained of an ‘unfair’ hike in the price of Guinness handed down by its British-based owner Diageo, the multi-national beverage company also behind Smirnoff and Gordon’s gin.
With Guinness continuing to rank as the country’s favourite beer, demand is expected to rise further as sports fans gather to watch the Six Nations at this time of year – but publicans are concerned they’re losing out on high profits due to ‘unexplained’ price hikes.
Pauline Forster, who owns The George Tavern in London, told The Telegraph: “They put the prices up all the time with no explanation. There is nobody to ring up and you can’t even get a reply on the website.”
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The demand for Guinness is no less at major sporting events like the Cheltenham Festival.
In 2023, an estimated 300,000 pints of Guinness were consumed during the Cheltenham Festival, solidifying its status as the drink of choice among racegoers.
With attendance figures expected to top 280,000 spectators across the four-day event, publicans are bracing for another record-breaking year.
In 2024, the price of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham was frozen at £7.50, a rate which had been maintained since October 2022.
However, assuming an annual inflation rate of 2.5%, there could be no other option but for a pint to cost approximately £10.00 by 2035, research from Racing Post revealed.
The rising cost of attending Cheltenham isn’t limited to beer. Ticket prices for the 2024 festival started at £57, with the most expensive non-hospitality ticket reaching £207.
While prices have been frozen for 2025, historical trends suggest a steady rise, meaning that by 2035, racegoers could be looking at entry prices of £70-£255 depending on the type of ticket.
Travel expenses are also set to rise, with return train fares from London to Cheltenham Spa currently around £50, which, based on a 2% annual increase, could hit £61 by 2035.
