7.5 million pints of beer are estimated to be wasted in the U.K. during the second lockdown, compared to 70 million pints in the first lockdown.
This is likely due to pubs across the U.K. being more prepared for another period without customers to serve, leading to savvier purchasing.
As pubs prepare to open their doors again from 2 December, The Linc spoke to two popular pubs in Lincolnshire about how they prepared for the winter lockdown.
Mark Jefferies from The Five Bells in Bassingham said: “We have lost a bit of cask ale, which was expected, but not as much as last time.”
The family-run pub made the decision to sell pints of beer and roast dinners for locals to enjoy from their own homes.
“We’ve carried on providing a takeaway service 7 days a week and we have very loyal customers who help us greatly,” said Mr Jefferies. “It’s been difficult for everyone but serving takeaway food means we can keep our chefs busy.”
However, some pubs, such as the Tap & Spile in Hungate, Lincoln, opted not to introduce a takeaway service, instead choosing to shut up shop completely until it’s safe to reopen.
These pubs demonstrate that, while the second lockdown may be less damaging to the industry in some ways, it is equally as devastating in others.
Jamie Redford from the Tap & Spile said, of the millions of wasted pints: “This is a startling figure for the industry.
“This comes down to shelf life, as unlike a pressurised keg, which has a life of up to a couple of months, a cask ale can only be in sale for three to five days once ready to be served.
“The other issue faced is that when we can reopen, we may have issues in supply essentially due to the amount of beer being produced by the U.K.s major breweries during the lockdown.”
Landlords across Lincolnshire and the rest of the U.K. have been better prepared this time, ensuring that as little beer as possible has been thrown away this month.
But for all the improvements in planning, the industry has been dealt a difficult set of circumstances over the winter period.