Support your Dorset local as energy prices skyrocket

There are fears that thousands of pubs could close as landlords would need to raise the price of a pint to 'ridiculous' amounts' - almost as much as £20 - to cover the huge rise in energy bills.

Tom Stainer, the chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), said it is not “viable” for landlords to raise prices in line with the rise in their energy bills.

While huge prices rises are not on the cards yet, pubs say they are facing uncertain times - but hope their customers will support them.

Last week we reported how The Fontmell in Fontmell Magna near Shaftesbury, had to cease trading as they revealed their utility bills alone had increased by £58,000.

Lyn Mackenzie, landlady at The Belvedere in High West Street, Weymouth said: “I am lucky enough to be a free house so I can buy where I please, but all suppliers are increasing so it is a constant battle to avoid hitting the consumer.

The Belvedere pub

“We hope that the social aspect and community support will remain the reason people use pubs as much as they can, and we are very grateful to our customers for all their ongoing support."

She added: “It doesn’t help that producers have invested money into supermarkets this year and not supporting pubs which is aiding the reduction in trade because everyone is feeling the financial pressure."

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Katy Jones, manager of Tom Brown’s in Dorchester said: “We are really worried about the winter as we are a winter pub - we're more busier then - and we have seen a drop in trade.

“One customer told me that she doesn’t even want to turn her oven on because she’s worried about the costs.”

Tom Browns pub

Sophie Gardiner, manager at the Boot Inn on High West Street, Weymouth said: “We have got a really solid base and we think that our open fires will draw people in. We are a brewery-run pub and we have already had our prices increased twice this year so we don’t think that it will happen again.”

The Boot Inn

Bosses of six of the UK’s biggest pubs and brewing companies, including Greene King, Carlsberg Marston’s and Drake & Morgan, have signed an open letter to the Government, urging it to act to avoid “real and serious irreversible” damage to the sector.

Rich Gabe from West Dorset’s Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said: “I can see a lot of businesses closing as a result and a lot of breweries, the cost of production of the beer will be passed onto the customers as they are going to have to put their prices up.

“Soon we will see local businesses shut down and once these businesses are gone, they’re gone for good, I just hope the government steps in before it’s too late.”