Cheltenham festival racegoers face major disappointment as punters are warned about shortage of popular £7.50 a pint beverage
Punters heading to Cheltenham Festival this year may face major disappointment when they arrive at the bar – with one popular beverage at risk of a shortage.
Guinness, the famed Irish stout and a staple for racing enthusiasts at the iconic four-day event, is at risk of running dry due to unprecedented demand.
This has sparked concern that prices for a pint of the black stuff may rise above a whopping £7.50, and that the supply for Cheltenham may be affected.
The Jockey Club has committed to a price freeze and certain events are said to have been ring-fenced by suppliers to ensure there are enough Guinness’ to guzzle.
This, it is thought, includes Cheltenham.
However, research by the Racing Post has revealed that the cost of a Guinness at Cheltenham is among the most expensive of any racecourse in Britain and Ireland.
Cheltenham Festival punters may face a shortage of Guinness with demand soaring
The popular beverage has long been synonymous with the iconic four-day showpiece
Not that this has put punters off. In 2024 alone, Cheltenham attendees drank more than 265,000 pints of Guinness, enough to fill three Olympic swimming pools.
The festival attracts more than 250,000 spectators every year and has long been synonymous with the stout. It is also home to the popular Guinness Village.
Demand has reached record highs, propelled on by rising popularity among the younger generations. Guinness was once considered to be a pint favoured by seasoned drinkers, but TikTok trends have led to a remarkable resurgence.
Indeed, Guinness sales in the UK shot up by 18 per cent year-on-year in 2024 and the 18-34 demographic were responsible for almost 60 per cent of the growth.
But there are whispers that the price of the product will have to be hiked in the near future. Breweries are facing relentless demand and increasing production costs, and experts have suggested pints may cost as much as 20p to 50p more by March.
Unsurprisingly, Brits have voted to officially crown Guinness at their favourite pint, ahead of fellow pub staples Stella Artois and Budweiser.
The Racing Post, working with market research firm Censuswide, asked more than 1,000 UK residents what their favourite alcoholic pint to drink was.
More than 800 participants took part in the survey and Guinness came out victorious with 13.75 per cent of the vote. Stella came second with 10.9 per cent, while Budweiser and San Miguel followed on 7 per cent and 6.9 per cent respectively.
But prices of the beverage may rise and there are concerns the supply could be affected
Beer-guzzling Brits recently voted to officially crown Guinness at their favourite pint
A spokesperson for the Licensed Vintners Association said: ‘The surge in Guinness’ popularity has been phenomenal, but it’s placing immense pressure on breweries, distributors, and pubs.
‘With the Cheltenham Festival just weeks after the January race meet, there’s genuine concern that availability could be severely impacted, especially if consumption trends continue.’
Racing Post’s Cheltenham correspondent, James Stevens, said: ‘When you think of Cheltenham, you think Guinness.
‘It cannot be underestimated how important a good Guinness is to a racing crowd. People may struggle to remember how much their car cost, what their mortgage is but the price of your favourite print seems ingrained into us.
‘Bars and pubs are facing a tricky time as their customers are staying elsewhere due to sky-high accommodation, but I imagine they will not want to risk disappointing a thirsty crowd.’
