Don't go out drinking in London
And I don't even mean in the city. Finchley, zone 3, £4.60 for a a pint of Peroni. Just so we're clear, that's just shy of a fiver for a pint of lager. No surprise really that so many pubs are closing.
(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 0:52, 21 replies)

these things must run in cycles.
I lived in 'expensive London' when I was 18 for a bit and yes, it seemed quite ridiculous when you compared import lager in a shiny London pub to a pint of mild in a West Midlands working man's club (although probably 1/2 the strength). And then I moved to Birmingham and then the West country and found that actually, maybe London isn't the only place that's pricey.

Nowadays I go to London and I'm surprised it's not more than it is here, I guess the rest of the country took note of what they were getting away with charging and thought 'Licence to up the price then eh?' so everywhere south of Manchester became kinda equal.

But now London's forging ahead in the price stakes again?

A pub landlord back in the Midlands confided in my dad that he's not really making a skint shilling from the beer, all his profit margins come from spirits, wine and especially soft 'on tap' drinks. So now it sounds like they're trying to even up the spreadsheet on profits and loss by upping the price of a pint of beer to compensate.
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Sat 12 Nov 2011, 1:19, closed)

The Westcountry has always been expensive... a vast amount of people there are holiday-homers, retirees or have moved down to the Westcountry to get away from the rat race or whatever, so it's hardly surprising really. Shame the wages down there don't match up. Considering how far away it is from civilisation, everything is expensive there - houses, food, beer, water rates etc. When I moved from Devon up to Herts I was actually quite surprised that many things are cheaper up here.
(Freakmandu, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 4:47, closed)

Mm yes,
I left SW Cornwall to move to South Cheshire and noticed the drop immediately. Not as pretty to look at but I'd hate to try and find a decent paying job in Cornwall again...
( Rotating Wobbly Hat That's not a banana. THIS is a banana., Sat 12 Nov 2011, 13:32, closed)

That's cheap.
My last local charged about £6 for 500mL of cheap local lager.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 1:40, closed)

You need to live in the north west. £1.50 for a vodka and coke. £2.50 for a double.

(wehttamman via B3ta for microwave, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 5:59, closed)

^this
£2 for a double double aussie white and £2.10 for a pint of strongbow
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 10:17, closed)

2 quid for 4 white Aussies?!
Aboriginal rent boys all over our lucky country are crying themselves to sleep you callous person, you.
(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Sat 12 Nov 2011, 11:38, closed)

i'm an equal-opportinuty slapper

( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 20:14, closed)

Same beer - differing prices
I've recently moved a little way (less than 5 miles) from my beloved home town into a village.
A pint of lager in my old local? £2.00
A pint of lager in my NEW local? £3.00!

Buggered if I know why
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 8:32, closed)

I suspect because youre not welcome.
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 10:08, closed)

Buy booze and invite your friends round
Cheaper and now I've got kids, pretty much the only option anyway as adding on the costs of babysitting makes going out crazy expensive.
( rob, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 10:41, closed)

In a certain 'its a scream pub as that's the only way you can be heard over the volume of the burger fat' I paid £8.20 for a strongbow and a vodka redbull. (In birmingham)
(feedingtimeatthezoo day 1 of his bikini diet started, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 11:18, closed)

Serves you right
for having poor taste in drinks.
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Mon 14 Nov 2011, 15:30, closed)

And in cities.

( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Mon 14 Nov 2011, 22:10, closed)

and in pubs

(bblgoose, Tue 15 Nov 2011, 13:09, closed)

I remember an advert from about ten years ago
with a picture of a pint of lager labelled "£3" and the slogan "Time for a holiday?". Lager seems to be routinely more expensive than bitter, though, which doesn't bother me personally as I'm not a lager drinker but does seem a little unfair.
( .Yeti., Sat 12 Nov 2011, 12:17, closed)

Breweries making less than 300 000 litres a year or something
pay a lower rate of tax. Lots of bitter and ale comes from such breweries, whereas pretty much 100% of lager is made on a far greater scale, attracting more tax.
( greedyostrich Cheese is evil! Cheddar is VOODOO!, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 13:43, closed)

Shop around
Sam Smiths pubs have the same prices wherever you are in the country and there are several in London.
£1.58 for a pint of bitter last time I was in one. The catch is that there are no name brands available, but frankly if you want to drink Fosters or can be persuaded that "premium" lagers such as Peroni are any better, then you deserve to be ripped off.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 14:18, closed)

Stop drinking "premium" lager,
you ponce.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 19:42, closed)

No

(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 19:54, closed)

that aint so rare
The ristorante I worked in in Colwyn Bay (north wales) charged £5.20 for a pint of peroni, £3.90 before the VAT change. Prices are evening out high everywhere. Although, peroni is imported therefore pricey
(Joe Guevara is well known for stealing your biscuits, Sat 12 Nov 2011, 19:49, closed)