A beer 'will cost £5 a pint by the 2012 Games'

A pint of beer will cost at least £5 by the time of the London Olympics, industry experts warned yesterday.

They estimate that drinkers will be paying 25p a pint more by the end of this year than they were at the beginning. 

And with inflation- busting increases expected to continue, the price will break through the £5 barrier by 2012. 

The prediction comes from the Campaign for Real Ale.

Although the rises have been influenced by increasing costs of transport, energy and raw materials, CAMRA blames high tax the most.

Britain's drinkers pay more in tax than almost anyone else in Europe - around 80p a pint.

The tax will continue to rise by inflation plus an extra 2 per cent as ministers try to clamp down on binge drinking. 

At the moment, the average UK pint of bitter costs £2.59 while lager is £2.82, says CAMRA.

Chief executive Mike Benner said: 'High beer taxes threaten to prevent many low and moderate earners enjoying a pint at their local pub. 

'Ever-increasing beer tax will do nothing to stop binge drinking. It will simply lead to a continuing shift in consumption away from well-run community pubs to drinking at home, on the streets and in public parks.'

CAMRA was due to stage a protest at the opening of the Great British Beer Festival at Earls Court today.

Kenneth Linwood, owner of the White Hart in New Cross, has applied for a poledancing and striptease licence to try to help recoup some of his £200,000 debts.

He believes a £5 pint by 2012 is realistic. Mr Linwood said: 'With the tax increases we are seeing, there's a good chance we could be looking at these kinds of prices.'

Meanwhile, InBev, the world's largest brewer, yesterday announced price hikes that will put an extra 3p on a pint.