By Bill Heaney
It is known for cheap drinks and no-nonsense service – but the cost-of-living crisis is even starting to bite on Wetherspoons. And that means particularly bad news for holiday-makers jetting off to the sun from Edinburgh Airport.
The Sun newspaper states that the airport pint has become as much a part of the experience as lounging by the pool, but it will now hit you even harder in the pocket if you head to the Sir Walter Scott pub at Edinburgh Airport. It is one of four airport ‘Spoons around the country where prices are being hiked.
And one drink has even broken the £7 barrier, a price more in keeping with a trendy London club. The pub giant will now charge £7.10 for a Leffe Blonde, a 25p or 3.5 per cent increase. It puts Edinburgh in line with London airports Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted which are also seeing price hikes, meaning misery for travellers.
According to The Sun, other popular brands including Stella Artois, San Miguel and Corona are moving towards the £6.50 mark. It comes after reports the company, founded by Tim Martin, was planning to jack up prices by 7.5 per cent, which could see a pint go up by 29p.
The increase is unlikely to help Sir Walter Scott’s reputation as the weakest of Edinburgh’s Wetherspoon pubs. It has only a 3/5 rating on TripAdvisor with one visitor dubbing it the “worst Wethies ever”. However, others have defended it with the most recent review calling it “one of the better airport bars”.
JD Wetherspoon said: “Airport and central London prices are higher than average, reflecting higher rents. But our pints start at £4.85 for Greene King IPA, £5.30 for Bud Light and Carlsberg for £6.15.”