The average price of a pint is rising to a FIVER, according to warnings. The average cost of a pint hit a new £4.67 high last month — a 12.5 per cent jump in a year, and 5p up on the month before, according to figures released ahead of this week's Budget and Autumn Statement.

Campaign for Real Ale boss, Tom Stainer, said the Chancellor could help pubs in his landmark speech later this week. He said: “Pint prices rises are the result of cost-of-living increases and cost-of-doing business hikes. No publican wants to put up prices — they know it deters customers.

"But it’s a difficult choice of increasing the price of a pint or going out of business in many cases. As pint prices become more of an unaffordable luxury, customers may choose to stay at home. This will further damage the trade of pubs and breweries across the country, risking further closures and losing these vital community hubs for ever.”

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Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the BBPA said: “Pubs and brewers have faced major increases to their costs over the last few years, while doing everything in their power to limit price rises. The Government must use the Autumn Statement to extend the current business rate relief for pubs and cancel February’s planned beer duty rise.

“Brewers and pubs have no margin left to absorb these government-imposed costs.” Lawson Mountstevens, Managing Director of HEINEKEN UK’s pub company, Star Pubs & Bars, said:“Pubs are at the heart of villages, towns and cities up and down the country and are bastions of community spirit. Freezing tax on beer and cider, and maintaining business rates relief is critical in supporting the great British local during one of the toughest times for the pub industry in living memory.

“We urge the government to continue to support pubs and in turn, the many thousands of people who work in them and the millions of people who enjoy their time there.” Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said: "The hospitlaity is suffering from long economic covid - after 2 years of closures, soaring inflation and energy bills it is fragile and many businesses are struggling to break even.

"If business rate relief is not extended i. April it will be a hammer blow to community pubs and neighbourhood restaurants - hitting jobs and investment across our high streets. 3 out of 4 say it will make their future more uncertain with a quarter saying they will close and half cutting hours and jobs. Two thirds say they will cut investment and put up proces to cope just fuelling inflation and extending the economic misery

"Hospitality is beating heart of our communities and our economy. Removing relief will see it having to pay an extra £1bn in tax which is just unsustainable."