Letter: All in a froth over the price of beer

Sir: Why are Britain's pub landlords suddenly worried about a price rise of 10p to give their customers the legal amount of beer for which they've paid ('Glasses law could raise price of pint by 10p', 7 October)? It hasn't stopped them putting up their prices by far more than inflation in the past - 15 per cent between 1990 and 1991 alone, when the rate was 4 per cent.

The Trading Standards Administration has calculated that beer drinkers pay about pounds 225m a year for foam. Meanwhile, television and poster advertisements for beer continually show short measures as the norm; this should be outlawed by new legislation. More immediately, the swift introduction of oversized glasses, even at a 10p a pint premium, is preferable to this fraud. It is not the public's job to ask a busy bartender to top up underfilled glasses any more than customers might be expected to make an offer to pay only for the beer under the foam.

Yours faithfully,

D. C. GODFREY

Twickenham, Middlesex

7 October