Major pub chain warns of 40p worth hike to pints after Government determination

Misery is brewing for punters at Fullers pubs as they could soon have to fork out an extra 40p for a pint.

The chain said it’s looking to raise its prices to pay its increased national insurance. The boss, Simon Emeny who runs the company slammed the Government’s recent decision to hike the national insurance contributions that employers have to pay.

The more staff a firm has, the more it has to pay out and Fullers employs 5,500. Mr Emeny said the increase is “counter productive to growth”.

He said: “I don’t think these tax increases have been thought through. The impact is disproportionate on businesses that particularly employ younger workers.”

Estimates by financial analysts are that the price of pints across the industry could go up as high as 40p and Mr Emeny hasn’t ruled the increase out for Fullers, saying industry increases will be “more than 10p”.

Raising employer taxes is Labour’s way of fulfilling its commitment to not raising taxes for working people. However, there are concerns that working people will feel the brunt of it anyway.

Employers such as Fullers will be raising their prices to cover the increased cost, therefore losing business and ultimately sacking staff.

And when the sacked staff go down the boozer to drown their sorrows, it will cost them more to do so.

Fullers isn’t the only pub chain looking to raise their prices. Wetherspoons, which is famously cheap as chips, has announced similar plans.

Spoons boss Tim Martin said: “Cost inflation which had surged to high levels in 2022, gradually diminished over the subsequent two years. However, it has now significantly increased again following the budget. All hospitality businesses, we believe, plan to increase prices, as a result.”