Horse racing enthusiasts and pub-goers alike are facing sobering news as the cost of a pint of Guinness is projected to soar to £10 in the coming years, raising concerns among publicans and sports fans about the affordability of the iconic Irish stout.
Last year’s fears of a national Guinness shortage sparked a rush to pubs, but a fresh crisis is now brewing. Pub owners have raised alarms over what they describe as an “unfair” and unexplained price hike by Diageo, the British-based beverage giant behind Guinness, as well as other popular brands like Smirnoff and Gordon’s gin.
With Guinness maintaining its crown as the UK’s favourite beer, the price surge comes at a time of heightened demand, particularly with the Six Nations rugby tournament in full swing and the Cheltenham Festival on the horizon.
Publicans Frustrated by Price Hikes
Pub owners are feeling the pressure from rising wholesale costs, making it difficult to maintain profit margins without passing the burden onto customers. Pauline Forster, owner of The George Tavern in London, expressed her frustration with the lack of transparency from Diageo.
“They put the prices up all the time with no explanation,” Forster told The Telegraph. “There is nobody to ring up and you can’t even get a reply on the website.”
The impact of these price hikes is expected to be particularly noticeable at major sporting events. In 2023, an estimated 300,000 pints of Guinness were poured at the Cheltenham Festival, cementing the drink’s status as the go-to choice for racegoers. With over 280,000 spectators expected to attend the 2025 festival, publicans are bracing for another record-breaking year in sales—but also in costs.
The Rising Cost of a Pint at Cheltenham
In an effort to keep prices reasonable, the cost of a pint of Guinness at Cheltenham was frozen at £7.50 in 2024, maintaining a rate set in October 2022. However, with inflationary pressures mounting, a report from Racing Post suggests that, at an annual inflation rate of 2.5%, racegoers could be paying as much as £10.00 for a pint by 2035.
And it’s not just the beer that’s becoming more expensive. Tickets for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival started at £57, with premium non-hospitality tickets fetching up to £207. Though ticket prices have been frozen for 2025, historical trends suggest that by 2035, entry costs could range between £70 and £255, depending on the ticket tier.
The Full Cost of a Day at the Races
Beyond entry fees and drinks, travel expenses are also on the rise. A return train ticket from London to Cheltenham Spa currently averages £50, but if prices increase by 2% annually, racegoers could be shelling out around £61 for the same journey in just over a decade.
With the cost of attending major sporting events climbing steadily, fans are starting to voice concerns about affordability. “It’s part of the tradition to have a pint of Guinness at the races, but at £10 a pint, it might turn into more of a luxury than a ritual,” said one Cheltenham regular.
Diageo Under Scrutiny
As criticism mounts, all eyes are on Diageo, which has yet to publicly address the concerns raised by publicans over the price hikes. Many in the hospitality industry are calling for greater transparency and fairer pricing to ensure that the beloved pint of Guinness remains accessible to all.
In the meantime, both pub owners and patrons are left grappling with the realities of rising costs, hoping that future festivals won’t price out the very fans who make these events so iconic.
