UNHAPPY punters have complained that their pints have become even more expensive as pubs push up prices.
Many pubs have been forced to charge more due to rising costs.
The owners of the White Rabbit in Friar's Entry, Oxford, have put up the price of a pint at their independent pub by around five per cent, although they are doing their best to minimise the impact on customers.
The owners of the White Rabbit in Oxford have put up the price of a pint at their independent pub by around 5%, although they are doing their best to minimise the impact on customers.
READ MORE: We asked small businesses about the impacts of the cost of living crisis
General Manager Ed Whinney said: "Obviously, we have had price increases across the board so we have had to increase costs across the board.
"However, we've tried to stagger it and on some of our popular picks, we have taken the price down.
"We realise that life is hard and if we can do anything to make it easier that's what we want to do."
The owner of a family-run pub in south Oxfordshire said hostelries in rural areas had been hit particularly hard by rising energy prices as they're often not attached to the main grid.
Steve Nicholls, who has run The Plough Inn in Appleton for three years with his wife Hannah, said that their electricity bill had increased by 50 per cent and their gas has leapt up in price from 70p to £1 a litre.
READ MORE: Cost of living: How much basic household items have increased in a year
The 50-year-old said: "Business has halved already because of the pandemic, and obviously the cost of living going up means we're seeing less and less of our regulars.
"Some of them are older people who live alone who would stop for a pint and a chat, but now they can't afford to do that."
The couple have four children, aged between one and 10, and are nervous about the future.
Mr Nicholls said: "You don't want to scare away the customers by putting up prices, it makes you just not want to do it anymore, but it's that or be homeless."
The pub only raised the cost of a pint by 10p rather than the suggested 16p and has lowered the cost of food to try and compensate.
READ MORE: Rising costs in Oxford mean people are 'living like animals' just eating, sleeping and working
A spokesperson for Oxford Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) described the rising cost of living post-pandemic as 'the perfect storm'.
He said: "There's no doubt that beer prices are increasing, its because raw material prices are going up such as the cost of hops and malts.
"It is just unfortunate that it is happening at a time when people who are nervous to go to the pub are only just getting back out again.
"Nobody wants to pay more but we have to accept that nobody is immune to the cost of living crisis."
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