Pubs are running out of beer!
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THE country’s biggest pub chains have run out of some brands of beer as a result of the carbon dioxide crisis.
It comes amid soaring demand fuelled by the heatwave, with the highest temperatures of the year recorded yesterday and the blistering weather predicted to continue into next week.
The shortage of CO2 – used to put the fizz into beer and soft drinks – has been attributed to the temporary closure of European chemical plants for maintenance, also coinciding with increased demand from thirsty World Cup fans.
The Ei Group, the country’s biggest pub group, admitted yesterday that it was out of stock or running low on some big brands of beer at a number of its 4,500 properties.
It would not say which brands are affected but they are thought to include some Heineken products, such as Amstel. The Ductch brewer said last week the CO2 shortage had hit production.
Wetherspoon, which has almost 1,000 outlets, said many are temporarily without draught John Smith’s and Strongbow cider.
At the same time, the country’s biggest wholesale retailer Booker, which sells to bars and restaurants, has started rationing beer, cider and soft drinks sales to customers.
Demand for beer and fizzy drinks is
On hottest day of the year, a crisis at the bar
unlikely to drop off any time soon as the heatwave continues. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far with 89F (32C) recorded in Porthmadog, North Wales. The mercury rose to 88F (31C) in Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands and 86F (30C) in Blackpool, Lancashire.
An easterly wind kept it slightly cooler on the eastern side of the country and in the south east, where the high was 79F (26C) at Wisley, Surrey.
No rain is expected in England and Wales until the middle of next week.
Water companies have said they have plenty of reserves due to above-average rainfall in February and March, but Severn Trent Water, covering much of the Midlands, urged customers to ‘avoid garden sprinklers, take a shower instead of a bath and avoid washing cars’.
The heat has already claimed casualties. The body of Ryan Evans, 13, was recovered from Westport Lake, Stoke-onTrent, last night. He had been missing since getting into difficulties in the water on Monday.
The body of a 17-year-old boy was also recovered from the River Aire in Leeds in the early hours yesterday. It is believed that he got into difficulties swimming on Tuesday evening. And in a third incident, the body of a man was recovered from a lake in Nutfield, Surrey, on Monday.
Simon Partridge, of the Met Office, said: ‘Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far but there is a possibility parts of the country could be even warmer today.
‘The high pressure is set to remain in charge into the weekend, although it will move slightly, bringing in north-easterly winds that will make it slightly cooler.
‘It will remain dry and sunny for most places, however. Early next week it is due to remain fine and dry, although the weather could become more changeable by mid-week.
‘But our forecast suggests another area of high pressure could move in by next weekend, bringing a return to fine, dry and warm weather.’