The price of beer is going up again and it's set to impact an already hard-hit pub scene.
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Once every six months, the Australian Government increases tax on alcohol. The latest rise came on Monday which will force licensee of the Victoria Hotel, Craig Wright, in Orange in NSW's Central West, to up the price of beer at his establishment by 20 cents.
"It doesn't sound much, but you look at the regulars who used to come down five days a week, they've cut back to three," he said.
"Then you'll have other people who will look at a price rise and instead of having five or six beers a day, they'll only have three beers."
He took over the hotel on March 1 last year, a few weeks before the country went into a COVID-19 lockdown.
"We've had a lot of elderly regulars who just haven't been back since we reopened in June who are frightened," he said.
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Matt Johnson is the manager of the Park Hotel, also in Orange, and said while an exact price hasn't been determined, he confirmed they too would be increasing the cost of a schooner.
"The reason we go up minimally is to ensure there's no kick back from the patrons," he said.
"We absorb one of the increases a year, and then pass one along to the customers, so this time we're passing it along."
Back at the Vic, Mr Wright has even put a sign up at the bar letting people know of the change, so they don't get a sudden shock.
"We all hate change, but you're a fool if you don't put your prices up," he added.
It's not just the prices at the pub that will go up. Be it a case or a six-pack, bottle-shops will also be raising their prices due to the tax increase.