A regular customer at a seaside bar says he will not be returning after being charged £9.50 for a 250ml can of wine.
Keven Truelove ordered the drink at The Pilot Bar at Folkestone’s harbour arm over the bank holiday weekend and was shocked by the price.
But bosses of the outdoor venue have defended the cost, saying it is similar to that of a glass of wine in local pubs.
Meanwhile, some residents say visitors to the harbour arm – which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year – should now expect “London prices”.
Mr Truelove says he often goes to The Pilot Bar and would usually opt for a pint of beer.
However, on this occasion, he requested a can of Sauvignon Blanc Krakat’ini.
The 59-year-old told KentOnline that it was not until he returned to his seat that he realised how much he had forked out for the drink.
“I paid for it by tapping my card and when I sat down and saw what I had paid I could not believe it,” he said.
“It wasn’t even a decent wine. It tasted like vinegar!
“We are being asked to pay top-dollar prices. It’s a joke.”
Mr Truelove spends a lot of time in the town and plans on moving to the area soon.
He also says he is a “big fan” of the development of the harbour area and believes it is a great spot for visitors and residents.
However, due to the “ridiculous” price of the can of wine, he says he will not be returning to The Pilot Bar.
He added: “You can buy a pint there for about £6.50 and that is a fairly reasonable price now.
“I think the prices need to be more clearly displayed before you buy it. Everything has a value in your own mind and £9.50 for a tin of wine is taking it too far.”
The Pilot Bar is part of the Rocksalt Group, which is owned by Josh De Haan, son of former Saga boss Sir Roger.
The group includes other Kent venues including Rocksalt Restaurant, The Duke William, The Five Bells Inn, The Radnor Arms, The Woolpack Inn and Little Rock.
Mr Truelove posted the price of his drink in the Folkestone Residents Group on Facebook, sparking a huge debate.
Sarah Eleanor responded: “That’s the joy of choice. If you want to drink Tennants for £4 whilst watching Sky Sports then maybe the arm isn’t for you.”
Darren Clark added: “Leave the harbour arm for the DfLs. Plenty of decent pubs in the town charging fair prices.”
But some people were in agreement with Mr Truelove.
Sally Mills said: “You can get 4 cans in Morrisons for £12. You got stung!”.
Jen Reygaerts added: “It’s cheaper in a bar in Paris.”
A single 250ml can of Sauvignon Blanc Krakat’ini can be purchased from Amps Wine Merchants for £4.75.
Bosses at the Rocksalt Group say Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand has seen some of the “steepest price increases across the wine world”.
Jack Nimmons, group operations director, said: “We take pride in sourcing quality, environmentally friendly products for The Pilot, all served in beach-friendly packaging.
“There is a perception that wine served in a can should be cheap but in fact, it costs quite a lot more to produce than wine in a bottle.
“A 250ml serving is equivalent to two small 125ml glasses of wine or a third of a bottle of wine, and the wine served in our cans is a good quality New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
“A bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc served in a pub will cost upwards of £28 and a large 250ml glass of wine is usually sold for £8-£12 in most pubs and bars locally, which works out at the same value as our pricing.
“This particular can of wine contains a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which has seen some of the steepest price increases across the wine world; as it is one of the most popular wine choices at The Pilot, we have chosen to absorb a lot of those additional costs to keep it on the menu, rather than going for a cheaper, lower quality option.”
