The owner of a popular Dublin boozer is refusing to up the price of Guinness despite brewer Diageo introducing massive hikes.
Bernard Farrell, who runs the Clonliffe House in Ballybough with his wife Pamela and son Darren, will absorb the additional costs in order to keep a pint of plain at just €5 at the pub.
The publican, who is not increasing Smithwicks either, reckons the black stuff at his watering hole is one of the cheapest and best in the capital.
Read More : Recall issued on batches of chicken products due to presence of salmonella
Speaking to The Irish Mirror yesterday, Bernard said: “We don’t want to touch the Guinness or the Smithwicks, it’s a fiver. We have a very loyal customer base.
“It’s a real Guinness pub. We have to absorb the costs. I couldn’t ask for better clientele in the whole country.
“We bought the bar seven years ago and we grew into it so much. We’ve a serious loyal customer base and we’re very loyal to the customer.”
The price hike from Diageo, who make Guinness, came into effect on Wednesday just weeks after Heineken raised the cost of their drinks at the start of December.
Diageo upped the cost of a pint by 12 cents excluding VAT with publicans reckoning they will need to hike the cost by at least 30 cents to keep their current profit margins.
While Dutch-brewing company Heineken, who also make Birra Moretti, Orchard Thieves, Coors, Fosters, Beamish, Murphys, and Island’s Edge, increased their pint prices by 17c before VAT.
Bernard added: “We feel Guinness and Heineken have gone overboard with what they’ve done. I’ve been giving out to them a little bit and I’d be no different to other bars in that way.
“But we’re trying to look after our customer base as we best we can in the middle of this.”
The boozer boss said everything has gone up massively and said he’s voiced his frustration about the price increases to the brewing companies.
He continued: “There has been a rise in our electricity which is huge, we have a big rise in our gas which is huge but I’ve said to Guinness and Heineken there should be a bit of pain on all sides and we shouldn’t be passing all this on to the customer sitting on the stool.
“I have to take a bit of myself on this.”
Bernard said punters regularly tell him his pub serves the best pint of Guinness in the country.
The popular bar, which is located just minutes from the GAA’s HQ Croke Park, is regularly thronged with supporters on match days and Bernard reckons Dublin fans are the biggest fans of Guinness.
Bernard also revealed he has also absorbed the Heineken increase which kicked in December but reckons he may need to increase their products at some point.
It comes as O'Reilly's, located on Tara Street is selling all pints including Guinness and Heineken for €5 and said they were not increasing their prices either.
General Manager Feng Yang told The Irish Mirror: “The prices are €5 all the time. There is no happy hour or stuff like that.
“When we open our pints are €5 and when we close the pints are also €5. People are really happy about the prices. All the main pints are €5 except for two preminum beers which cost €5.50.”
But outside of Dublin, there is a pub in Galway where punters can still get change from €5 for a pint of the black stuff.
The Thatch Bar in Tuam is selling a pint of plain for €4.90 up from €4.70.
Barmaid Sasha Farrell said she believes it’s the cheapest pint of Guinness in the country.
She said: “Punters are really happy to get change back from a fiver. I’ve received plenty of compliments about the Guinness too, the foam is wonderful.”
Earlier this week, The Irish Mirror visited a number of pubs in Dublin City Centre and found most were charging €6 for a pint of Guinness.
READ NEXT:
- Eamon Ryan defends overcharging of households on electricity bills to reduce costs for big businesses
- 'All we can do is pass on increase' - Publicans say they can't take any more blows amid pint price hike
- Mother called prison concerned about son hours before he attempted suicide in cell and later died
- Ireland weather: Met Eireann forecasts subzero temperatures as conditions turn bitterly cold this weekend
- Call for accompanied driver rule for 'L plate' road users to be scrapped
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
