Customers back a Birmingham Wetherspoons pub for slashing the price of a pint to 99p

Jan 3 2009 by Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail

Retired 64-year-old Pauline Zollman, from Redditch, said: “Anything that brings the price down is brilliant.

“People have had to cut back on their social life and this will maybe help them to toast the new year.”

Sales worker Neil Pitkin, aged 41, of Tamwort, said: “Businesses have got to pull people in somehow because of the economic climate. This will encourage people to eat out in the pub because if you’re going to cook a meal at home you’re probably going to spend more than £2.99 at the supermarket.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of business people are in, they’ll be watching every penny they earn this year.”

Construction worker Paddy Clifford, aged 45, from Coventry, has been out of work for the last couple of months.

He said: “I drink beer myself so it’s good to see the price of that come down.

“I would probably try drinking Greene King now whereas I wouldn’t have before and I daresay a few of my friends will as well.”

Sharon Gordon, aged 47, from Erdington, said the price drop might encourage some healthy competition and see other pubs taking the measure.

The 47-year-old, who supports people with mental health problems, said: “If people are going to go out they will whether they’ve got money or not.

“But by doing this they will encourage more people in to the pub.”