London pub sparks controversy by charging £2 extra for pints after 10pm

One of London’s most popular Irish pubs has provoked fiery debate by ramping the price of a pint up by £2 after 10pm.

O’Neill’s, located in Chinatown close to busy Leicester Square, charges customers £9.40 for a pint of Brewdog Punk IPA at its peak time – compared to £7.40 during the day.

The only warning about the policy is an A4 notice on the bar reading: ‘We operate a variable price list in this venue.’

As well as the draft pint, bottles of Budweiser and tonic water are also bumped up in price after the clock strikes ten.

The owner of the pub chain told Metro the late-night price increase was put in place following a request from the police and Westminster Council’s licencing authority.

One customer wrote in a one-star TripAdvisor review: ‘They have a variable price policy that kicks in after the ppm as that is ‘late’.

‘There is a small sign at the end of the bar but no info on this variability on entry or when ordering.’

Responding to the criticism, a manager said: ‘Our prices increase to a set price from 10pm, which are in line with the prices in the area, and we try to make up for this by providing entertainment all week long.

‘As you have mentioned we do have signage for this price increase on every bar and any questions you have can be answered when ordering by our staff.’

But consumer rights expert Scott Dixon warned that customers were being ‘misled into buying decisions they would not otherwise have made’ due to the ‘underhand’ policy.

He told the Telegraph: ‘Pubs and venues ought to display clear pricing and notices so consumers can make an informed decision before they enter into a contract to buy drinks, they cannot simply post an A4 piece of paper in an obscured location.

‘It’s immoral and it will rightfully be putting customers off.’

O’Neill’s operates around 40 Irish bars in England, Scotland and Wales.

The venue on Wardour Street in Soho was once home to the famous Flamingo Club, which played a pivotal role in the development of the UK’s rhythm and blues scene.

Currently, the pub on the site stays open until 2am from Sunday to Tuesday and 3am between Wednesday and Saturday.

Stonegate, the owner of the UK’s largest pub chain, brought in a dynamic pricing system last year affecting hundreds of venues across the country.

The change, introduced after similar schemes were trialled during the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, reportedly resulted in pints costing 20p more at the weekend in one London pub.

Dynamic pricing hit the headlines earlier this year when it was used to change the cost of tickets for the Oasis reunion tour – leaving many fans paying far more for a ticket than they had initially planned.

The technique, which raises prices according to demand, is also widely used in the airline and hotel industries.

A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers, the owners of O’Neill’s, told Metro: ‘Most hospitality businesses and retailers deploy a form of dynamic pricing, but this means that prices can both rise as well as fall through tactical discounts being offered in the form of time-limited promotions and fixed price menus.

‘Dynamic pricing varies on a site-by-site basis as it reflects the local market conditions, but temporary price increases tend to reflect the need to offset additional costs such as at times when door security is required.’

They added: ‘The policy at Wardour Street reflects a request from both the licensing authority and the police that we increase prices after 10pm to a level generally in line with the late-night market.

‘This policy has been in place for about 2 years.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Iconic London community pub forced to close over £50,000 rent arrears

MORE: Want to live the idyllic London houseboat life? It’ll cost you £1,000,000

MORE: Drivers hit by 30-minute rush hour traffic delays after crash on the M6