trappings san cayetano

DRINKERS are saving pounds by cutting down on visits to the pub in favour of enjoying their favourite tipple at home. A visit to the local has become the latest victim of the credit crunch, according to the Quarterly Beer Barometer from the British Beer and Pub Association. The association's figures detail a drop in total beer sales by 4.5% in the UK this quarter compared with the same period last year, with beer sales in pubs down 10.6%, depriving the Treasury of ?88m in tax income. In total, 107 million fewer pints were sold in April to June this year compared with the same quarter in 2007 – a fall of 1.2 million pints a day. The on-trade sold 144 million fewer pints during April to June this year compared with the same quarter in 2007 – down 1.6 million pints a day. The figures, say the association, confirm a long-term trend towards drinking at home. Welsh brewers reported similar trends in their customers' habits, with a dip in draught beers, yet an upturn in sales of bottles and cans, more commonly sold in supermarkets and off-licences. Dave Campbell, head brewer at Hurns Brewing Company, which produces Tomos Watkin beers in Swansea, said: "All brewers are finding it difficult. A combination of factors are responsible. Raw materials are more expensive. "We were paying ?7 per kilo for hops, but the price jumped to ?21. The smoking ban has had an effect on trade. Where it was tough before, it's even tougher now." Mr Campbell said the brewery's sales reflected the trend towards drinking at home. He added: "It's almost a direct swap in volumes. Sales are increasing but it's more on the bottle side of things. "One implication of this for us is that the bottling is done off site, so we've got the increased transport costs. We've seen the cost of glass increase by an extra 27 pence on a case of 12 bottles." Mr Campbell said successful pubs tended to be tied up as part of a chain and charged brewers to be on their list of preferred suppliers. Graham Powell, general manager of CH Marlow, which owns Breconshire Brewery and the Drovers Arms and Boar's Head in Brecon, said a lot of his customers were buying bottled beers direct from the company. "We are ticking over okay. The average price of a pint from the supermarket is 80 pence, when it can be ?3.50 in a pub." Philip Lay, retail director for Brains, said: "The continuing trend of movement of people from drinking in a controlled pub environment to the home is a concern to the industry. "We have to work even harder to offer great service more than just alcohol." But the smaller Evan-Evans brewery in Llandeilo says it is experiencing record sales and is running out of beer after brewing to capacity. Chief executive Simon Buckley said: "Despite the doom and gloom in our industry, we are bucking the trend and seeing a huge increase in sales. We are now brewing more beer than we have ever brewed. "Demand for our beer has been so high, that this week we may come very close to running out of beer. We will be brewing six days a week to keep up." The brewery is installing a new plant to double capacity by mid-August. The bleak picture being painted by the figures continues a downward trend first measured over the first half of 2008. In the first six months of the year, beer sales were down by 2.9% compared with the same period in 2007 – sales in pubs, bars and restaurants dropped 9.6%, while sales in supermarkets and off-licences were up 7.4%. Sales in supermarkets and shops have continued to rise however, with a 3.8% increase on April to June 2007. BBPA chief executive Rob Hayward, said: "Beer sales are on the slide and the tax increase in the Budget has made it worse. This is hitting Britain's brewers and pubs hard. "Beer sales in pubs are now at their lowest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s – down seven million pints a day from the height of the market in 1979." metro 6 pack beer cooler bottle conditioned beer