Rising prices could force "a couple of thousand" pubs out of business in the next few years, one expert believes.
Speaking to the Morning Advertiser, Graham Page of AC Nielsen said: "The on-trade has really got to up its game if it wants to survive. Good operators will continue to do well."
Mr Page suggested that the average price of a pint of beer could soon top the £3 mark and it was this that would hit the industry.
The website reports that - due to above- inflation increases in the cost of raw materials - manufacturers Coors and S&N UK have already put their prices up.
Last week the Campaign for Real Ale announced that, this year, its community pubs week would be focused on getting people to make the use of their local pub.
It said that this was in response to figures that indicated around 60 - mainly privately owned - pubs in Britain close down every month.
