Britons are guzzling 100 million pints as St Patrick’s weekend sees all-time record Guinness sales as revellers paint the town green in a four-day party.
Thousands of extra kegs were rushed to landlords as the black stuff boom sees 12 million pints of Guinness alone drunk in bars over this weekend, consumption trends show.
Pubs’ biggest weekend of the year so far is seeing five times more Guinness sold than average.
But there are fears taps will be drunk dry by the record rush – even bigger than at Christmas when many bars ran out as stout sales leapt 20 per cent.
Nationwide drinking triggered by Cheltenham last week and rugby’s Six Nations has left pubs’ stocks even lower.
Bars are seeing an invasion of fancy dress partygoers ordering Guinness, UK pubs’ bestselling draft beer.
Barman Paul Sheils of Shenanigans, Southampton, Hants, said: ‘We’ve had 50 Guinness kegs delivered compared to the usual 20, but fingers crossed its enough as the demand for it is unprecedented.’
Wetherspoon’s, cutting prices of Guinness in its 800 pubs on Monday to £3.15 in England and £2.99 in Scotland, said: ‘We’re reducing the price to mark St Patrick’s Day.’
Bobby’s Bar in Chatham is offering the bargain deal of £4 for a pint of Guinness today
A spokesperson for Guinness brewer Diageo said: ‘Demand for Guinness continues to grow. We have made progress in replenishing stock levels, so consumers can enjoy pints during spring and summer.’
A bumper 45 million pints in pubs plus 55 million pints at home are being drunk from Friday to Monday, British Beer and Pub Association consumption data trends show.
Over 50,000 people have gathered in Trafalgar Square to attend the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in London, with the celebration also extending to Hyde Park, Piccadilly and Whitehall.
The colourful parade featuring floats, marching bands, dance troupes and pageantry.
The double Olympic gold medal winner, Kellie Harrington, and Irish Paralympic gold medal winning cyclist, Katie-George Dunlevy, lead the charge as this year’s grand marshals.
Irish celebrity chef Anna Haugh returned to the event, this time with a new wine and food bar celebrating Irish cuisine.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said this year’s St Patrick’s Day festival will be ‘the biggest and most impressive yet’.
He added the parade presents an opportunity to honour and celebrate Irish culture and the ‘immense contributions’ of London’s Irish community.
Thousands also flocked to the streets of Manchester city centre for the first time in four years to celebrate the Irish holiday.
The parade will have over 30 floats and walking groups displaying colourful Irish dancers and marching bands.
But a recent study has crowned Glasgow as the top UK city for St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Guinness prices, the number of Irish pubs, St Patrick’s Day parades, and the tradition of ‘Splitting the G,’ were all factors that contributed to the city’s win.
A pint of Guinness costs a humble average of just £4.82 and the Scottish capital also boasts the most Irish bars, with 18 bars, making it a prime spot for St. Patrick’s day celebrations, the research by Winners Enclosure revealed.
The Princess of Wales is set to make a solo engagement at the Irish Guards’ St Patrick’s Day parade on Monday.
Kate Middleton, 43, who is colonel of the regiment, missed the Guards’ celebrations last year after being treated following a cancer diagnosis.
As part of her gradual return to public duties, the princess will award long service and good conduct medals to soldiers and present the traditional sprigs of shamrock to officers and guardsmen at Wellington Barracks in London on Monday.
The shamrock, with its three heart-shaped leaves, symbolises Ireland and the Holy Trinity – representing both faith and country.
Each year, around 400 soldiers march across Parade Square, followed by a traditional group photo with William and Kate, who then attend a special reception.