At £5.80, London pub sells probably the most expensive pint in Britain

Cheers: Michael Vine and Debbie Cramer with their Leffes, bought by the Standard
Terry Kirby12 April 2012

The Coach & Horses proclaims itself as Soho's "most famous pub" — but it now has a less appealing claim to celebrity.

The historic watering hole for some of London's most raffish residents sells what is claimed to be the most expensive pint in Britain.

Even legendary former clients such as columnist Jeffrey Bernard may have baulked at the eye-watering £5.80 for a pint of Leffe, the draught Belgium beer, sold at Tesco for about £2.

Staff at the pub, whose ex-licensee Norman Balon was known as the rudest landlord in London, warn drinkers of the price before they pull a pint.

"It's absolutely prohibitive," said advertising copywriter Michael Vine, 26, sipping a pint courtesy of the Evening Standard.

"It is very nice and you must remember it's a strong, premium beer mostly sold in half-pints. But I wouldn't pay that exorbitant price myself."

Fellow copywriter Debbie Cramer said: "There is something wrong about spending more than £5 on a pint of beer."

Prison officer Stewart McLaughlin, 45, said: "I'm a keen beer man and like this place as it's a proper pub. But I won't pay £5.80 for a pint of anything."

Almost all agreed with new licensee Alastair Choat that the price was not entirely the fault of the pub, a tied house leased from Punch Taverns.

Mr Choat said: "It's not like we don't warn people. All our beer is expensive. Chain pubs can buy from whoever they like but I'm tied to buying mine from one supplier and the cost has gone up every year."

But David McCoy, of The Good Pub Guide 2010, said: "This is totally excessive. At £5.80, it's the most expensive pint I've ever come across."

The average price of a pint is £2.68 — up 10 per cent on last year, says the guide. Mr McCoy added: "The pint itself isn't worth £5.80. It's the atmosphere and setting that are worth that. It's ridiculous for an ordinary pub to charge this much for a pint of beer."

The Coach stresses it does not raise prices because of its fame. Artists Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud drank here with singer George Melly.

Another regular was Peter O'Toole, who played the title role in the West End show Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell — featuring a full mock-up of the pub's bar on stage.

Gareth Barrett, of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: "Beer duty has risen 26 per cent since 2008. This combined with tougher trading conditions, pub closures and a falling market. Price rises are the inevitable outcome."

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