Colm Redmond, owner of Johny O'Loughlens, the pub known for its cheapest pint in Ireland, criticizes Diageo's continued price hikes on draught Guinness, arguing that the company is harming both Irish pubs and the tourism industry by pricing the iconic drink out of reach.
The Galway businessman and publican known for offering the 'cheapest pint in Ireland' has strongly criticized Diageo 's recent decision to increase the price of a draught pint for the fourth time in two years. Colm Redmond , owner of Johny O'Loughlens at the Zetland Country House Hotel, spoke to Galway Beo, expressing his belief that pubs are currently facing 'one of the worst years for SMEs in the history of the state' due to mounting pressures.
Redmond vehemently condemned Diageo for repeatedly passing on costs to struggling businesses. \'Diageo are a billion-euro multinational company with a global reach. Their flagship product, Guinness, has the same level of brand recognition as Coca-Cola, and they are destroying that brand by pricing it out of people's reach,' Redmond stated. 'Diageo should be able to absorb a six-cent cost, instead of passing it to small businesses who are already struggling under rising costs away from the tap. And, they should have the vision and the foresight to know that the time will come when their costs will return to normal, but the very places where they sell their products will be gone.' \Johny O'Loughlens, renowned for its competitively priced Guinness, had maintained a pint price at €3.90 until well into 2024, defying rising costs and Diageo's price hikes. Located near the picturesque Cashel Bay, the pub and hotel attract numerous tourists throughout the year. However, Redmond has consistently aimed to keep prices reasonable for his regular clientele, acknowledging their crucial role in sustaining the business. 'We have to think about our regulars, because that's the backbone of our business and what gets us through the winter,' he emphasized in 2022. Reluctantly, Redmond raised the price to €4.20 in 2024, still the cheapest in Ireland, stating, 'I always resist putting the prices up as long as I can, but this time I might have to reconsider. I am basically being forced to put it up - and this will be the first time ever I have ever had to pass on a price increase like this.' Redmond believes Diageo is 'strangling the goose that laid the golden egg.' 'It was the pub trade in Ireland, and, in particular, the high consumption of Guinness in pubs, that laid the foundations for the success of Guinness, and, later, Diageo. And, I might add that ordinary working man in Ireland, for decades, had very little spare income, but what they had spent on bottles of Guinness. Hundreds of thousands of bottles were sold to working people as their one joy in life. This built Guinness as well, and built Diageo, and yet the company can give the ordinary punter this slap in the face. I am shocked by their behaviour. Not just that the price of the pint of Guinness for the publican has gone up by almost a euro in two years. Not just at the fourth price hike in that time. But, at the timing. They should have held this back until, at least, June. This is the lean time of the year. Nobody has money after Christmas, every business feels that pinch. What were they thinking when they decided to raise the prices now - there's no meat on the bone. This year, I believe, will be the worst year in the history of the state for SMEs, or up there.' Redmond sees SMEs as more than just businesses for many owners. 'SMEs are the biggest sector in terms of employment in the state, but more than that, small businesses are passionate about what they do. And that's what makes Irish business culture so unique.'He is passionate about pub culture and the publican's role in Ireland's heritage, recognizing its contribution to the tourism appeal. 'The average German, American or English tourist goes to the Cliffs of Moher or Phoenix Park once, but goes to a pub every night. To go back to that unique Irish business culture, tourists enjoy that special culture of a local pub. This is a culture that brings people in from all over the world, a culture that took centuries to create, and it's being strangled by moves like this by Diageo.' Redmond believes that intervention is crucial to safeguard this vital aspect of Irish culture, not just for the millions of Irish people who frequent their local pubs, but also for the multibillion-euro tourism industry. 'Fáilte Ireland is upping their spend on promoting Ireland as a tourist destination to people in Continental Europe, to bring people in. But, bring them in to what exactly?? The number of pubs is dwindling. Once that culture has died, it's gone. I would call on Fáilte Ireland to get behind the bar trade for those reasons alone. That €40 million or so could have been better spent stabilising the bar trade in Ireland to preserve this vital aspect of our tourism offering.
Diageo Guinness Price Hike Irish Pubs Smes Tourism Fáilte Ireland Colm Redmond Johny O'loughlens
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