Running a pub isn’t getting any easier… and now one landlady says she’s had to do the one thing she tried to avoid — put prices up.
At Charlie Bassetts, Laura Ball says rising costs have finally caught up with them, leaving no choice but to increase drink prices just to keep the doors open.
“We held off as long as we could”
Laura, who runs the pub with her partner, said they’d been absorbing rising costs for months — but January’s supplier increases pushed things too far.
“It’s dwindling down that much, you can’t physically stay afloat sometimes,” she explained.
Like many pubs across the UK, they tried everything else first:
- cutting staff hours
- reducing food service days
- introducing deals and offers
But eventually, increasing prices became unavoidable.
Not just about the beer
It’s not just the cost of a pint going up — it’s everything behind the scenes.
Energy bills, suppliers, and general running costs have all increased, making it harder for independent pubs to turn a profit.
“Maintaining that price of beer… is becoming increasingly difficult because we’re not making a profit,” Laura said.
Customers feeling the pinch
The price of a pint is becoming a talking point in pubs everywhere.
Some locals have questioned increases — but others, especially visitors, see it differently.
Laura said:
- Some customers compare prices to cheaper chains
- Others say it’s still a bargain compared to the south
In some cases, she says, people are choosing to stay home and drink instead — something pubs are battling more and more.
Summer might save the year
There is a bit of hope on the horizon.
With summer approaching — and major football tournaments bringing extended opening hours — pubs are expecting a boost.
But Laura was clear:
“You’ve only got three or four months over the whole year that you’re making a good earning.”
A tough reality for pubs
This isn’t just one pub’s story — it’s happening everywhere.
Independent pubs are being squeezed from all sides, and many are facing the same decision:
👉 Put prices up… or cut back even further.
🍻 The big question
If your local had to raise prices to survive… would you still support it?
Or is the cost of a pint already pushing people too far?
