Guinness guzzlers face €8.90 pints at Cheltenham racing festival due to shortages

The stout has long been associated with the iconic four-day festival but rising popularity along younger generations has led to shortage concerns.

Punters heading to Cheltenham Festival this year have been warned that bars are at risk of running dry due to unprecedented demand.

According to the MailOnline, the Jockey Club has committed to a price freeze with certain events including Cheltenham ring-fenced by suppliers to ensure there is enough to go around

Although research by the Racing Post revealed that the cost of a Guinness at Cheltenham is among the most expensive of any racecourse in Britain and Ireland, this has not put punters off.

Last year’s estimated 250,000 attendees drank more than 265,000 pints of Guinness, which is enough to fill three Olympic swimming pools.

While Guinness was once traditionally considered to be a pint favoured by older drinkers, and men in flat caps, TikTok trends have seen a younger generation push demand to record highs.

Guinness sales in the UK shot up by 18 per cent year-on-year in 2024 with the 18-34 demographic responsible for almost 60 per cent of the growth.

British drinkers recently voted to officially crown Guinness as their favourite pint, ahead of fellow pub staples Stella Artois and Budweiser.

The Racing Post and 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 on top with 13.75pc of the vote. Stella Artois came second with 10.9pc, while Budweiser and San Miguel followed on 7pc and 6.9pc respectively.

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,” a spokesperson said.

Racing Post's Cheltenham correspondent, James Stevens, told MailOnline: “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.”

It was reported over the weekend that Diageo is reported to be exploring a potential spin-off or sale of Guinness, in what would be the biggest corporate change for the Irish beer brand since it was merged with Grand Metropolitan in 1997.

Stock market-listed Diageo is also reviewing its stake in LVMH's drinks unit, Moet Hennessy, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Guinness would likely be valued at above $10bn (€9.50bn).

A spin-off would create a standalone business with the same owners, while a sale would require a buyer likely to come either from the brewing sector or private equity.

The drinks giant struggled to keep up with demand at the end of last year even as other parts of the Diageo business are struggling to grow. The drinks giant is due to publish financial results next year.

The London-listed company could look to deepen its ownership in the Moet Hennessy venture, or exit altogether, the report said, adding that if Diageo wanted to sell the stake, LVMH has an obligation to buy it, although at a 20pc discount to its fair value, as per their agreement.

Diageo did not immediately respond to a request for comment; LVMH declined to comment.

Shares in Diageo, which have been under severe pressure for months, shot up after news of the possible Guinness disposals, rising 4.4pc on Friday.