The price of a pint might have soared by 10p in a year - but the North East is still one of the cheapest places for a tipple in the UK.
The cost of an average bevvy has increased by 2.7% to £3.79, according to The Good Pub Guide.
And it found a massive north-south divide, with punters in Northumbria paying £3.52 for a pint compared to those in London forking out £4.57.
The annual survey revealed while London was the only place where the average price of beer was over £4 a pint last year, three other areas have joined the expensive drinking club with those supping in Scotland, Surrey and Sussex also paying more than £4.
Punters looking for bargain beer should also head to Shropshire, Herefordshire, Yorkshire or Staffordshire which serve the cheapest pints in Britain.
Good Pub Guide editor Fiona Stapley said the 10p a pint price hike would not put off pub-goers.
She said: “People love pubs and they love their beer and on every pub visit, customers come away feeling happier - and that is to do with cheerful, chatty atmosphere and the people they meet in those pubs rather than the effect of the alcohol.”
Ms Stapley also said the smoking ban which came in 12 years ago has kept pubs alive as more women and families are now heading to their local boozer for a drink and a meal.
She said: “The ban that caused howls of public protest with licensees fearing a damaging drop in business as smokers deserted their local boozers, but twelve years on it has in fact proved to be transforming.
"Pubs adapted by installing smokers’ shelters and outdoor heaters, and licensees soon realised that by making their pubs smoke free, they turned into cleaner, brighter places, and opened up a massive new customer base – women and families with young children who headed to pubs for a meal and even an overnight stay.”
The Guide named Inn at Whitewell, Clitheroe, Lancs as its Pub of the Year and praised the riverside boozer for its "olde worlde" charm, piano for anyone to play, extensive wine list, top notch food and spectacular views.
Calling it “a very special place,” the Guide added: “The pub's main bar has roaring log fires in attractive stone fireplaces and heavy curtains on sturdy wooden rails.
“Early evening sees a cheerful bustle that later settles to a more tranquil and relaxing atmosphere. Every aspect of this lovely pub is truly first class.”
Beer prices in Britain
Bargain beer
Shropshire, £3.46
Herefordshire, £3.48
Northumbria, £3.52
Yorkshire, £3.53
Staffordshire, £3.54
Fair priced beer
Worcestershire, £3.56
Northamptonshire, £3.58
Derbyshire, £3.58
Leicestershire, £3.60
Wales, £3.62
Cheshire, £3.63
Cumbria, £3.64
Dorset, £3.64
Average priced beer
Lincolnshire, £3.65
Cambridgeshire, £3.65
Lancashire, £3.65
Suffolk, £3.70
Bedfordshire, £3.70
Somerset, £3.71
Devon, £3.74
Wiltshire, £3.76
Cornwall, £3.79
Isle of Wight, £3.79
Norfolk, £3.82
Gloucestershire, £3.83
Essex, £3.83
Warwickshire, £3.88
Hampshire, £3.89
Expensive beer
Buckinghamshire, £3.91
Oxfordshire, £3.93
Berkshire, £3.95
Nottinghamshire, £3.95
Kent, £3.96
Hertfordshire, £3.97
Sussex, £4.02
