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A pub in London has come under fire for introducing a £2 surcharge on pints that are ordered after 10pm.
The branch of O’Neills on Wardour Street, Soho, has decided that anyone with the nerve to purchase a pint after 10pm will have to fork out an extra £2 for the privilege – as if pints in London weren’t expensive enough as it is.
The surcharge means a pint of Brewdog IPA for example costs a nose-bleed-inducing £9.40 post-10pm, up from £7.40.
It doesn’t just apply to pints either. Customers wanting bottles of beer or even water will also have to pay an inflated price.
So a 500ml bottle of Budweiser costs £8.05 with the surcharge, up from £6.05, whilst a bottle of tonic water is subject to a massive 46 per cent price increase, with its price rising from £2.15 to £3.15.
The only warning of the surcharge customers are given is a notice on an A4 piece of paper at the end of the bar, with menus in the O’Neills branch making no mention of the £2 price increase.
The notice reads: “We operate a variable price list in this venue.”
Speaking to the Telegraph, consumer rights expert Scott Dixon said the lack of clear warning about the surcharge was “immoral.”
He told the publication: “Pubs and venues ought to display clear pricing and notices so consumers can make an informed decision before they enter into a contract to buy drinks.
“They cannot simply post an A4 piece of paper in an obscured location. It’s immoral and will rightfully put customers off.”
The surcharge has understandably caused fury with punters, with many leaving negative reviews about the branch online.
One person wrote: “My friend ordered a gin tonic and a beer during the late evening and the bartender tried to charge a different amount as on the menu. When we suggested this issue they tried to explain because the price there is not included the VAT. I think it is really bad customer service and unacceptable behaviour.”
Another said: “High prices and not cosy like before. 10 pounds for a pint of lager is something ridiculous as we need to pay entrance . So never more”
A third warned others: “They have a variable price policy that kicks in after 10pm as that is ‘late’. There is a small sign at the end of the bar but no info on this variability on entry or when ordering.”
Responding to this review, the branch’s manager said: “Our prices increase to a set price from 10pm, which are in line with the prices in the area, and we try to make up for this by providing entertainment all week long. As you have mentioned we do have signage for this price increase on every bar and any questions you have can be answered when ordering by our staff.”
O’Neills is operated by Mitchells & Butlers. A spokesperson for the parent company said: “Dynamic pricing varies on a site by site basis as it reflects the local market conditions, but temporary price increases tend to reflect the need to offset additional costs such as at times when door security is required.”
Other branches of O’Neills in central London, including sites at King’s Cross and Carnaby Street, do not operate implement a surcharge on drinks.
However, other chains have adopted dynamic pricing, including Britain’s largest pub chain Stonegate, which applies a 20p surcharge on drinks during peak weekend trading.
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