The price of a pint could be set to go up even more

These are sad, sad times we're living in.

In much of the country (the south, for sure) you're now faced with the tragic truth that getting a crisp fiver from your wallet may not actually cover the cost of a delicious beer of an evening. Five pounds! It's a disgrace.

And it could be about to get worse. Mitchells & Butlers, who look after around 1,600 pubs, bars and restaurants - including O'Neills and Toby Carvery, employing over 44,000 workers - has announced that it intends to 'investigate ways to increase customer spend' in order to offset the cost of introducing the new national living wage in the sector.

In plain English, that means that as they've finally agreed to pay their workers a fair wage, naturally that cost is going to be passed on to the consumer. Thanks guys.

Mitchells & Butlers said that the change, which comes into effect in April next year, will 'dramatically' increase costs, and so it is seeking 'tactical price opportunities'.

Chief executive Phil Urban is looking to reverse the fortunes of the company, which reported sales 0.7 per cent lower this financial year than the previous one.

How about charging a reasonable price and getting more customers in, who then drink more? Just a crazy thought.

(Image: Shutterstock)