Wetherspoons drinkers charged DOUBLE for the same pint based on where they buy it
WETHERSPOON customers are being charged as much as £6.29 a pint at some London boozers – more than double that charged outside the capital.
The eye-watering prices – a result of soaring rent, wage and transport bills – shine a light on how the cost of living crisis is hitting drinkers in the pocket.
But the price differences also show how customers around the country outside cities and trendy tourist hotspots can still pick up bargains on popular tipples.
At the 900-strong pub chain’s Moon Under The Water branch in London’s Leicester Square – a favourite with foreign visitors – a pint of Stella Artois will set you back a whopping £6.29.
While a pint of Guinness costs a similarly hefty £6.19.
Thankfully for boozers outside the capital the same drinks can be purchased at much cheaper prices in other Wetherspoon’s outlets.
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For example a pint of Guinness at The Three John Scotts in Hull will set you back just £2.75 or £2.99 at The Resolution in Middlesborough.
And at the same venue a pint of Stella Artois will cost just £3.19 and £3.10 respectively.
Similarly a pint of Budweiser sells at a pricey £5.79 and Carlsberg for £5.39 at the chain’s Leicester Square branch.
But at Liverpool’s Captain Alexander pub you can buy the identical drinks for £3.69 and £2.99 respectively.
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Punters should be warned though drinks are not always cheaper up north.
At the Paramount in Manchester city centre a pint of Stella Artois or Guinness will both cost £3.79 compared to just £3.19 and £3.10 at The Oxted Inn down south in Surrey.
Cocktail prices are also vastly different in price depending on where in the country you are drinking.
At the Willow Walk in London’s Victoria a Sex On The Beach cocktail will set you back a staggering £10.95.
But the same tipple at Glasgow’s Sir John Stirling Maxwell pub will is just £6.49.
Similarly a 125ml glass of Coldwater Creek Chardonnay white wine can be picked up at The Moon Under The Water in Leicester Square for £2.75.
But at some locations around the UK including The Three John Scotts in Hull, The Albert and The Lion in Blackpool and other outlets in Middlesborough, Oxford and Devon, the same glass of wine costs just £1.45 – that’s almost half the London price.
And a single measure of Gordon’s gin served with lime will set you back a pricey £7.10 in Leicester Square plus a further 40p for a can of Fentiman’s tonic water.
But the same drink at the Sir John Stirling Maxwell branch of Wetherspoon’s in Glasgow is just £2.99 plus 40p for the Fentiman’s tonic.
That’s less than half the London price.
Stark differences
Last night experts said the seismic price variations are the result of a series of factors linked to costs and the strength of the local economy.
Helen Morrissey, senior pensions and retirement analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “These regional disparities are stark but there’s more to the price of a pint than the drink itself.
“Rents, wages and transport costs all need to be factored in with the rent and wage costs on a central London venue likely to be much higher than one elsewhere in the UK.
“The strength of the local economy is also vital with a busy city centre pub or bar in a much better position to charge more for drinks as they capitalise on higher customer numbers which could be made up of tourists or an after-work crowd.
“Taken together these factors means the price of a pint of Budweiser in central London can cost much more than the same pint elsewhere.”
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “Wetherspoon prices may vary from pub to pub depending on local circumstances.
“Prices at some pubs, for example, those in major city centres, are higher.
“We believe this applies throughout the pub industry, reflecting higher costs, especially rents and business rates.
“For example, our small pub in London’s Leicester Square has an annual rent and rates bill of over £1million. It’s not viable to charge “suburban “ prices as a result.
“The company’s aim is still to offer competitive prices compared to other venues in each location in which it trades.”
Here’s how some of the price differences compare in different pub locations across the country.
Branches in the north and regions
Manchester – The Paramount, Oxford Street
- Budweiser – £3.79
- Carlsberg – £2.99
- Stella Artois – £3.79
- Guinness – £3.79
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay (125ml) – £1.85
- Gordon’s Gin (single measure) – £3.49
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.55
The Captain Alexander, Liverpool
- Budweiser – £3.69
- Carlsberg – £2.99
- Stella Artois – £3.69
- Guinness – £3.69
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.85
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.45
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.55
The Three John Scotts, Hull
- Budweiser – £3.10
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.19
- Guinness – £2.75
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.10
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.55
The Albert and The Lion, Blackpool
- Budweiser – £3.69
- Carlsberg – £2.99
- Stella Artois – £3.79
- Guinness – £3.69
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.49
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £8.10
The Resolution, Middlesborough
- Budweiser – £2.49
- Carlsberg – £2.25
- Stella Artois – £3.10
- Guinness – £2.99
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.19
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.29
Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow
- Budweiser – £3.10
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.19
- Guinness – £3.10
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £2.99
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £6.49
The Mount Stuart, Cardiff
- Budweiser – £3.69
- Carlsberg – £2.99
- Stella Artois – £4.05
- Guinness – £3.69
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.65
- Gordon’s Gin – £4.75
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £8.29
Branches in the south and London
The Oxted Inn, Oxted, Surrey
- Budweiser – £3.10
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.19
- Guinness – £3.10
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – N/A
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.39
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.29
Moon Under The Water – Leicester Square, London
- Budweiser – £5.79
- Carlsberg – £5.39
- Stella Artois – £6.29
- Guinness – £6.19
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £2.75
- Gordon’s Gin – £7.10
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £9.75
The Willow Walk, Victoria, London
- Budweiser – £4.79
- Carlsberg – £3.49
- Stella Artois – £5.29
- Guinness – £5.19
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £2.20
- Gordon’s Gin – £5.15
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £10.95
The Penderel’s Oak, High Holborn, London
- Budweiser – £4.69
- Carlsberg – £3.49
- Stella Artois – £5.10
- Guinness – £4.99
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £2.20
- Gordon’s Gin – £5.15
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £10.95
The Post and Telegraph, Brighton
- Budweiser – £3.49
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.59
- Guinness – £3.49
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.39
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.55
The Star Inn, Honiton, Devon
- Budweiser – £3.10
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.19
- Guinness – £3.10
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.39
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £7.29
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The William Morris, Oxford
- Budweiser – £3.10
- Carlsberg – £2.29
- Stella Artois – £3.19
- Guinness – £3.10
- Coldwater Creek Chardonnay – £1.45
- Gordon’s Gin – £3.10
- Sex on the Beach cocktail – £6.29