HEREFORDSHIRE is the cheapest place to buy a pint of beer in England, according to a national guide

Drinkers in the county can expect to pay an average of £3.10 per pint in the county, says the Good Pub Guide

At the other end of the scale it costs an eye-watering £3.92 for a pint in London.

This is the second year running that Herefordshire has won the cheapness accolade - but inflation has clearly been at work because last year the county's average pint cost £3.03

Les Smith, the landlord at the Prince of Wales in Church Street, said that beer in his pub started at £3 for a pint, going up to £3.10 for Wye Valley HPA and £3.20 for Wye Valley's premium brew, Butty Bach.

He said: "We want to keep prices down as far as we can. I wouldn't want to charge more than I'd be willing to pay."

At the Talbot in New Street, prices ranged from £3.35 for Henry's IPA to £3.40 for Wadworth 6X or Butty Bach.

In Hereford, Mark Higgins at the Herdsman in Widemarsh Street said: "We charge £3.10 for most of our beers.

"The only reason we charge that is because we have two pubs across the road, the Wellington and the Exchange, which are free of ties.

"We should be charging about £3.40 or £3.50 but we have to try and keep our prices reasonable.

"I think trade is pretty good throughout Herefordshire though and our evening trade does well as we're a big darts and skittles pub."

The research by the Good Pub Guide found the national cost of a pint has risen 4.5 per cent from last year - up 15p to £3.46.

The Guide's editor, Fiona Stapley, said: “Ultimately, breweries will charge what they want, and more importantly, what they can get away with. It's as simple as that.

"Pub-goers in the South East and Home Counties will be prepared to pay more for beer than the North of England, or the South West, where salaries and wages are lower. For a cheaper pint, aim for a pub’s own brew if you can - on average 48p less.”

The guide also found the biggest complaint about pubs is badly behaved children and screaming babies.