Newbury Real Ale Festival 2010, beware of new pricing structure. Options

[Andy Capp]

I have noticed that NRAF 2010 will be ramping up the cost of very strong ale (curiously not cider). Any ale over 6%, will be two ticket; meaning £5.00 a pint after you used the complimentary tickets from the entrance fee! Even the LSB would struggle to charge that!

Entrance is:
£5, includes a glass and one drink token
£10 includes a glass and six drink tokens

Ales which are less than 6% ABV are 1 token (half-pint)
Ales over 6% will cost 2 tokens (half-pint)
All cider and Perry are 1 token (half-pint)

Drink tokens are 4 for £5

Of course, should you go for the over 6%-ers, you will not be drinking so many!

[dannyboy]

I have noticed that NRAF 2010 will be ramping up the cost of very strong ale (curiously not cider). Any ale over 6%, will be two ticket; meaning £5.00 a pint after you used the complimentary tickets from the entrance fee! Even the LSB would struggle to charge that!

Entrance is:
£5, includes a glass and one drink token
£10 includes a glass and six drink tokens

Ales which are less than 6% ABV are 1 token (half-pint)
Ales over 6% will cost 2 tokens (half-pint)
All cider and Perry are 1 token (half-pint)

Drink tokens are 4 for £5

Of course, should you go for the over 6%-ers, you will not be drinking so many!

Beer is taxed on a sliding scale depending on the alcohol %. Cider, as it is neither beer nor wine, is classed individually & is taxed at a flat rate, regardless of the alcoholic content, upto 7.5%. Which is why most 'ciders' are 5-7% in strength.
So, a 6.5% Beer will have duty of £112.58 per 100 litres, whereas Cider of equal strength only has duty of £33.46 per 100 litres. ( makes a farce of all the ho-ha Cider makers gave when the Budget put cider duty up by 10% - because an extra £2.55 per 100 litres was going to bankrupt the trade ).

wine is £1.575 per 70cl bottle btw.

and you have to add VAT.

[Andy Capp]

Interesting that this pricing system has not been adopted before at the NRAF.

[user23]

All the stronger stuff usually goes in the first hour so this seems like a sensible move.

[Strafin]

I think it's a good thing really, I fully expect it to be a very popular event this year and wouldn't want it spoiled by people who just go for the strongest pint. I've never seen any trouble there though. I've also got a complimentary pass and plenty of tickets!!

[Andy Capp]

Strong beer hasn't been an issue in the past, and cider is untouched; if behaviour is the issue. As for running out quickly; last year it was that there was very few 'super strength' beers. For me it has the potential to be a spoiler. I used to like starting from the top and work down. Not because I was eager to get home to beat the missus, but I like to sample a type of beer that is not usually available in a local pub. It also helps to make the day a little cheaper after paying the entrance fee (the bands are of little interest to me).

[Bofem]

Perhaps they're trying to slow us down so they don't run out by 8pm.

[JeffG]

In case those here are trying to keep all the beer for themselves, this is when and where it's at:

http://www.hockey.rathmeile.org/RAF/RAF_Ho...strSection=Home

[eternalriver]

Strong beer hasn't been an issue in the past, and cider is untouched; if behaviour is the issue. As for running out quickly; last year it was that there was very few 'super strength' beers. For me it has the potential to be a spoiler. I used to like starting from the top and work down. Not because I was eager to get home to beat the missus, but I like to sample a type of beer that is not usually available in a local pub. It also helps to make the day a little cheaper after paying the entrance fee (the bands are of little interest to me).

The ciders and the perry will definitely be the first to go (as they did two years ago) as many people like the higher alcohol content. I agree that if this price policy isn't well understood before the event then some attendees will be upset by the cost.

[Darren]

Seems like the idiots were about. There was a tannoy announcement about an ambulance having to be called because someone was injured fighting.

[Iommi]

There was an issue that few saw, but the old bill said that they had to withdraw glasses and replace them with plastic.

[Bofem]

Apparently, someone got glassed and after two plod turned up, the organisers agreed to plastics for the duration. Oddly, they went back to glass later in the evening.

[Iommi]

Plastic was in short supply.