Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, Salford Now reporter Tom Whittleton continues his tour of the city’s pubs to find out how they are faring in the cost of living crisis. Here he talks to the landlord of the Old Pint Pot.
A Salford landlord claims that freezing the duty on alcohol will not help the difficult situation pubs are in.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in his Autumn Statement that alcohol tax will be frozen, but this is not ideal for Dean Smith, who is running a chain pub which relies on brewery support.
I popped down to The Old Pint Pot on Adelphi Street to discuss how the freeze is likely to affect local bars and pubs.
Having walked in, and narrowly avoiding a fall down the steep metal steps (a nightmare when inebriated), I settled down at the bar for a pint and a chat with Dean to talk about everything pub related.
Dean said the “promises sound very good on paper” when I mentioned the tax duty freeze, but he won’t be raising a glass to the Chancellor until he studies the fine print.
“Well in theory it should work,” he shrugged. “I work for Marsden’s I have to buy all my beer from them, irrelevant of price if Marsden’s decide to put prices up freezing tax won’t affect us”
He continued: “I’ll still be paying my staff the national living wage, it’s hard enough as it is in a cost-of-living crisis.”
Does he think it’s too little too late? “He’s flogging a dead horse with what he’s doing.”
I asked him for a sentence to describe Jeremy Hunt, I will not be repeating it.
The Old Pint Pot is the quintessential student pub, a wraparound beer garden on the banks of the River Irwell is an ideal place for a post lecture beverage.
It slings pints for the student crowd from a stacked bar of classics. Moretti, Strongbow, and hipster Favorite Neck Oil are on the taps – so if any pub in Salford is likely to be hit by beer tax, it is this one.
The wooden interior adds a homely atmosphere with classic leather upholstery and plenty of seats, it’s a proper pub with the ever-present pool table and dartboard being available for punters.
The pub doubles as a live music venue with punk, metal and indie band flyers peppering the walls. The venue hosts Salford’s many uni bands.
The Conservatives are using the Autumn Statement to bolster their election hopes but The Old Pint Pot will keep electing reasonably priced pints into the hands of thirsty students. A great pub to spend an afternoon with friends.
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