Ahead of Thursday’s national lockdown, Wetherspoons has launched a sale offering pints for as little as 99p.
Launched yesterday, the pub giant is looking to clear its stock before closing for four weeks, with the promotion running until boozers shut their doors on Wednesday evening at 10pm.
New posters put up in pubs read: “Ahead of the four-week lockdown, rather than waste real ale, it has been reduced to 99p per pint.”
Speaking to the Sun, Wetherspoon’s spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “All of our pubs in England will be serving their real ales at 99p a pint until the pubs close on Wednesday night.
“The reality is that any real ales not sold between now and lockdown will have to be thrown away, so it is better that customers can enjoy it at a great price while the pubs remain open."
Unlike lager, which can remain fresh in the keg for more than six months, real ale can go off within a few weeks and during the previous lockdown, an estimated 70 million pints were poured away.
The new measures force restaurants, bars and pubs to close, and takeaway alcohol has been banned as well.
Nik Antona, the national chairman of CAMRA – the Campaign for Real Ale – said of the new measures: "The second lockdown is a devastating blow for an industry that is already on its knees.
"Pubs across the country have already invested thousands to reopen COVID-safe environments despite facing seriously reduced incomes.
"We also need a clear route map out of lockdown which is based on evidence, otherwise we will see many pubs and breweries close their doors forever.”
