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Will the Cheltenham races face a Guinness shortage?
Concerns over whether there will be a “Guinness wipeout” in Cheltenham next month are being discussed due to pubs facing a single keg ration.
The Cheltenham Festival kicks-off on 11 March, with racegoers facing what is being cited as “a Guinness blackout” after pubs near Prestbury Park are reportedly being forced to restrict supply of Guinness following an uplift in “exceptional consumer demand” for the stout.
According to reports, one of the pubs beside the track which usually sells up to 50 kegs during race week has allegedly been told it must make do with just one.
Now, pubs near the racecourse have revealed how they fear “a disaster” come race week. For instance, bosses at The Royal Oak — the closest pub to Cheltenham racecourse — admitted they were worried about next month’s event.
Speaking to the Irish Sun, Matt Beeson, manager of the pub in Prestbury, said: “I am struggling with supplies of Guinness. I have been limited by my brewery to one keg of Guinness a week.”
Beeson explained: “I usually go through about 45 to 50 kegs during race week. And at the minute I can only order one or two. Week in, week out, we’re usually two or three kegs. But race week we are like 45 to 50 in four days. It was 45 last year. There is a definite concern about supply.”
According to reports, the Cheltenham Festival, which is the pinnacle of the jumps racing season, has told reporters that “certain key stakeholders, such as the Guinness Village at Cheltenham, are ring-fenced by suppliers to ensure there is always enough available”.
Despite this, those attending the races are predicted to be informed that they have to part with at least £7.80, (or around €9.30 for a pint of Guinness) instead. Essentially, “a 30p increase in 2024 prices”.
Reports also indicate that “nearby bars fear their taps could run dry — with some breweries threatening to jump ship to rival stout Murphy’s amid the crisis”.
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Beeson, whose bar is owned by Butcome brewery, told reporters: “The company are threatening to put Murphy’s in. I don’t know whether that is in motion. It is all very day-to-day at the minute.”
Other bars close to the racecourse have also confirmed they have been left mulling such options amid the Guinness shortage.
Speaking candidly about the issues Manoj Parkale, manager of the King’s Arms in Prestbury, toldreporters: “We are facing a shortage just like others. It is a real issue.”
Irrespective of the size of the pubs, the issue does not exclude popular bars in the heart of Cheltenham town centre since they have also been caught up in “the Guinness crisis”.
Independent pub Tailors, which recently won the title of “Racing TV Pub Of The Year” and was voted “the best pub to watch horse racing in the UK” noted that the reduction will have a marked effect on business.
Tailors assistant manager Tom Bird admitted: “Our cut has been pretty bad to be fair. Basically, we are getting a fraction of what we were ordering.”
Bird added: “Every Christmas we order 30 barrels and we got four” but lamented: “It just goes” and reiterated : “I don’t know what the situation is going to be in the future. But if it is like this, it is not going to be pretty.”
In response, a spokesperson from Diageo reassured: “We are making progress in replenishing stock levels in our distribution network. Demand continues to grow at unprecedented levels, and we are taking a responsible and sustainable approach to managing that across all our customers.”
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