The best places in the UK for a pint

Where are the best places for a pint in the UK? Did you know there are more than 45,000 pubs open across the UK? It seems Brits love nothing more than a visit to their local.

However, for pub landlords, getting it right is essential. From serving up quality pints and classic pub grub to ensuring they have the right business insurance in place, every detail matters when it comes to keeping customers happy and protected. 

At a time when a single bad review can make or break a business, reputation is more important than ever, especially where the pub and hospitality industry is concerned.

With this in mind, we have analysed key factors, including the number of pubs, breweries and their reviews, as well as how much a pint is in major UK towns and cities, to uncover the best places in the UK for a pint.

So, where is the best spot in the UK for a drink, and what is the UK’s favourite alcoholic beverage?

Brewdex statistics and key findings

• The average price of a pint in the UK is currently £4.52 - 15% higher than in 2024 (£3.90)
• Burnley is the best place in the UK for a pint as well as the cheapest (average cost - £2.50)
• Lisburn is the most expensive place in the UK for a pint (average cost - £6.10)
• The average price for a pint is higher in Brighton than in London (£6.05 vs. £6.00)
• Brewdog is the most popular beer brand in the UK 
• Kopparberg is the most popular cider brand in the UK 
• Black Sheep is the most popular independent beer and cider brand in the UK 

Where are the best places for a pint in the UK?

Burnley is the best place in the UK for a pint 

With an impressive overall index score of 83.9, Burnley takes the top spot as the best place in the UK for a pint. Home to 35 pubs and having an average Google rating of 4.46 out of 5, the town offers a great experience for punters.

Plus, with the average pint priced at just £2.50, it’s no surprise that Burnley comes out on top as the ultimate destination for a drink.

Salford ranks top for craft beer and independent breweries outside of London 

Salford, home to the UK’s longest-running TV pub, the Rovers Return, stands out for its thriving independent brewing scene outside of London. With seven independent breweries currently operating, boasting an impressive average Google rating of 4.69 out of 5, it’s a top destination for craft beer enthusiasts.

What are the cheapest and most expensive places in the UK for a pint?

Brits love nothing more than a cheap beer or cider at the pub. But due to increasing running costs and decreasing support for the hospitality industry,  the average price of a pint in the UK is now at £4.52 - a 15% increase from £3.90 in 2024.

Therefore, we've analysed the average cost of a pint across major towns and cities in the UK to uncover the most affordable and most expensive places to grab a drink.

The places in the UK where a pint is £3.00 or less

If you’re after an affordable pint, Burnley, Bury, and Gloucester are the top spots in the UK. With a pint averaging just £2.50 in Burnley and £2.75 in both Bury and Gloucester, these locations offer great value without sacrificing quality. 

Across all three locations, the average Google review score is 4.43 out of 5, meaning punters can enjoy both affordability and a top-notch drinking experience.

Lisburn is the most expensive place in the UK for a pint 

Lisburn in Northern Ireland is the priciest place in the UK for a pint, with an average pint cost of £6.10—59% more than the country's cheapest. 

Renowned for its lively atmosphere and seamless blend of urban and suburban living, this appeal comes at a price, particularly when it comes to enjoying a drink at the pub.

Brighton is the most expensive place in England for a pint, beating London 

Many might assume London is the most expensive place in England for a pint, given its world leader status in the hospitality industry, generating £46 billion in revenue in a single year. 

However, Brighton takes the top spot, with an average pint costing £6.05—the highest in England. In 2024, the seaside destination welcomed 11.8 million visitors, contributing £1.3 billion to the economy. Despite the high pint prices, Brighton's vibrant hospitality scene continues to attract millions of tourists each year.

The most popular pints in the UK 

The UK is a nation that loves a pint, but what is the country's drink of choice? We've examined Google search volume, TikTok trends data, Instagram hashtag data, as well as the popularity and fame of alcohol brands in the UK to uncover the nation's favourites.

*Popularity and Fame Percentages, Source: YouGov - Popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a brand, and fame is defined by the % of people who have heard of a brand. YouGov ratings are based on millions of responses from the British public.

BrewDog is the most popular beer brand in the UK 

Topping the list of the most popular pint brands, with an index score of 65.6 out of 100, is Brewdog. With an average of 135,000 Google searches related to the brand each month and an impressive brand fame of 82.0%, it's clear that BrewDog is a favourite among drinkers.

Boasting 71 bars across the UK, brewing over 36 different beers, and expanding into the spirits and cocktails market, it's no surprise that BrewDog has secured its spot at the top. 

Additionally, with BrewDog’s HQ and state-of-the-art brewery located in Ellon, just north of Aberdeen, it's safe to say that Scotland is brewing some of the nation's favourite drinks.

Black Sheep is the most popular independent pint in the UK 

In the UK, craft beer is very well loved, with there being an average of 38,000 Google searches for ‘craft beer’ each month. In terms of the nation’s favourite craft beer, Black Sheep takes the top spot.

With TikTok searches for the brand increasing by 50% year on year and an overall fame rating of 42%, Black Sheep's popularity is ever-increasing. 

Founded in 1992, the Black Sheep Brewery, based in Masham, North Yorkshire, has earned numerous accolades over the years. Most recently, it secured multiple awards at the 2024 World Beer Awards, cementing its status as a favourite among UK punters.

The most popular cider brand in the UK is Kopparberg

With 152,000 posts featuring the hashtag #kopparberg on Instagram, and an average brand fame of 85.0%, Kopparberg ranks as the UK’s favourite cider and the fifth most popular pint. 

Known as the world’s best-selling pear cider and sold in more than 30 countries, some may perceive Kopparberg to be part of a larger corporation, however, it remains an independent brewery to this day. 

England brews the best pints 

With three of the UK’s top 10 most popular pints, Black Sheep, St Austell, and Shepherd Neame, brewed in England, it’s clear that England leads the way when it comes to crafting the nation’s favourite beers and ciders. 

From Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire, to St Austell in Cornwall and Shepherd Neame in Faversham, Kent, England’s brewing reputation spans from coast to countryside.

At Bionic, we know that every great business, whether it's a local pub or brewery, needs support to grow. We’re here to help the UK’s hospitality industry by offering essential business energy, insurance, and broadband advice to allow SMEs to operate smoothly and build stellar reputations.

Explore our business guides or get in touch about your business insurance to find out how we can help your business stay ahead in a competitive market.

Did you know, your increase at renewal could be less than a pint* with Bionic?!

Methodology

We analysed a number of metrics to identify the best place for a pint. We looked for the cheapest pint, the number of bars/pubs in a place, the average Google Review rating of the pubs, the number of breweries and their Google rating and the number of ratings. Using these metrics, we created a rank and identified the best place,

We also looked at the brands of beers and ciders and identified how popular they were. This was then broken down by generation, gender and overall results. We also looked at these brands to identify the ones which had the most Instagram hashtags, TikTok search volume and Google search volume to create a rank of the most discussed/searched online. We also identified which brands of beer and cider were independent.

*Data based on digital renewals with Bionic in 2024 where the price increase was less than £4.50 per year. Price increase was 3% on IDR and so £4.50. Based on a pint of beer over £5.