Marston’s Brewery increases price of a pint by 45p

Marston’s, which operates more than 1,500 pubs, is due to increase the price of pints in some parts of the country by up to 45 pence.

The decision comes as a result of rising the increase in energy prices and operating costs. Nik Antona of CAMRA pointed to the “rising energy bills and the cost of goods going up…VAT increases and the end of business rates holidays” as factors which mean that “pub owners are feeling the squeeze from all sides.” Lockdowns over the last two years have contributed to the mounting costs pub landlords face. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also exacerbated the crisis due to the disruption it will cause to barley cultivation.

Though Marston’s pubs are found throughout the country, there is a particular concentration in the west Midlands. The average price of a pint in Birmingham is £4.46 – five years ago it was £2.87. In London, a 40-50 pence rise in the price of pints was anticipated earlier this year, which would push the average price of a pint in the city up to around the £7 mark. The 20-45 pence increase at Marston’s pubs is nationwide, though Londoners will be hit the hardest.

Founded in Burton-upon-Trent in the 1830s, Marston’s Brewery has grown to become a vast operation with six breweries, ten distribution centres and more than 12,000 employees. In 2020, Marston’s was forced to axe more than 2,000 of their furloughed workers due to the tightening of Covid restrictions. In 2021 they announced that they would be renovating a building in Wolverhampton to serve as the company’s new headquarters, with 250 employees working there.

They are only the latest pub chain to increase prices as a response to worsening inflation – earlier this month J D Wetherspoon implemented a 10-20 pence increase on the price of pints.