Publicans across the Great Yarmouth area have said their businesses are doing well but the future is uncertain as beer prices rise.

The cost of a pint is rising due to increasing costs of grain and fuel and the highest rate of inflation for a generation.

Sandra Goldsmith, landlady of the Never Turn Back in Caister, said: "We have just put our prices up.

"But as we're a pub on the beach, we won't really know what will happen until the summer camps open.

"We think it will hit us, but time will tell.

"We're fearful it will happen, but we're not quite sure yet.

"We've seen between a 5pc and 7pc increase from the brewery, which means we have had to raise our prices by about 10p a pint across the board.

"We've tried to keep it as fair as we can."

Ricky Finch, landlord of The Rumbold Arms, said: "We're doing all right at the moment.

"We had 30 people in here at lunch time.

"The price of beer is now going up.

"We haven't adjusted our prices for three years, but we are thinking of putting about 10p on a pint.

"I think our customers will be fine with that - we've spoken to most of them about it and they seem okay."

Paul Hodgson, owner of Tombstone Brewery and Saloon Bar on Stonecutters Way, said: "In terms of our suppliers, their costs have gone up by 6 and 10pc.

"However, I can control my own costs here because I produce the beer.

"In terms of customers, we're still getting a regular footfall through the door.

"Even though it's still the quiet part of the year, we're doing okay.

"But when the electric bills go up in April, we'll see what happens.

"Touch wood, at the moment regular customers and the odd day tripper are still coming through.

"Once April comes, we will know a little bit better what to expect."

Sean Gregory, finance and operations director for Lacons - the largest drinks distributor in the east - said: "There have been some significant price increases with our third party brands.

"Which is an annual thing, but this year it is a hell of a lot more than previous years.

"Unfortunately with these rises, we have very little option but to pass them on to our customers.

"We've also seen an increase in costs of distribution so we have had no choice.

"In terms of our own beer, we haven't passed a price increase for eight or nine years.

"This year, we understand our customer's needs and have pretty much frozen prices this year as well.

"There is no significant price increase and there hasn't been for a number of years as we want to continue to support local pubs in the community as they have taken enough of a pounding over the last two years with Covid and everything anyway.

"Wherever we can, we don't want to pass on costs to the consumer.

"But the reality is, with third parties, we have had no choice but to pass those costs on.

"With our cask products, there is a small increase which works out about £2 a cask, whereas the big brewers are increasing by £8 minimum.

"Grain price has gone up by 25pc this year compared to last year which is quite a significant price for us to take. We've seen distribution costs go up by a similar level - fuel and labour costs have gone up by about 25pc as well.

"It's a perfect storm because our industry is trying to recover and we're getting hit by increases across the board."

Jonathan Newman, Great Yarmouth Town Centre manager, said: "The increased cost of living is likely to significantly impact the disposable income that people have for spending which could have a knock on effect on consumer spending in the town centre.

"The thing to add is that traders are facing the same pressures, increasing energy, food, goods, transport and materials costs as well as the worry that that their customers, by necessity, are cutting back on spending."