Pints over a tenner in Ireland’s pubs could become the norm

News of a Dublin pub charging over a tenner for pints has sparked fear that more of Ireland’s pubs will raise their prices.

According to reports via The Sunday World, the Merchant’s Arch which is based in the heart of Temple Bar, has crossed the €10 barrier for certain pints.

According to the paper, a pint of Rockshore cider will set punters back €9.45 during normal hours, however if guests order the same drink with a meal in the venue’s upstairs restaurant, the pint price rises to €10.45.

Reports highlighted that, currently, in the main bar at the Merchant Arch, drinkers are charged €9.10 for a pint of Carlsberg and €8.65 for a pint of Guinness but these prices are due to rise in the room upstairs at the venue to €9.95 for Carlsberg and €9.65 for Guinness.

Additionally, after 10pm, the venue also reportedly increases the prices further to above €10 with a pint of Carlsberg setting customers back €10.90 and a pint of Guinness costing €10.50.

As part of the “late hours” prices, reports confirmed that a pint of Kilkenny costs €10.65, a Blue Moon or Chieftain pint €10.50 and a Harp pint €10.60.

Following the coverage, Newstalk Breakfast spoke to publican Martin Keane, who runs the Oliver St John Gogarty pub – a few minutes walk from the Merchant’s Arch who admitted that it would not be long before he was forced to put up his own bar’s prices.

Keane explained: “In the next couple of weeks or maybe just before the summer, they’ll reach the tenner.”

He pointed out that, essentially, it was all linked to mounting costs and revealed: “Overheads is rising. Every morning I get up, things have increased. We’re crippled. Our musicians have gone up by 25%. Increases are endless and I can’t see any end to them at all.”

Keane highlighted that the pricing decision was not one that was being taken lightly and noted that it did have a knock on effect on business, not in tourists, but to its local drinkers.

Keane explained: “95% of our business probably is from overseas so there’s not really much of a comment about it. But our own indigenous Irish man doesn’t really like it. He likes as much for as little as possible.”

Will other pubs raise their prices too? Keane said that there was no question over the fact that they would. But reiterated that it was simply because hospitality businesses in Ireland were being forced into this action.

He lamented that pub businesses “just have to if they’re going to stay in business, because you just can’t do it” and added that “a publican’s life is hard”.