BEER drinkers in Bolton still enjoy among the cheapest pints in the country, according to the experts.

The cheering news could help lift drinkers' spirits this weekend as they swallow the bitter pill of yet more price hikes in the budget.

The Over Hulton based North West Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association says that independent surveys continue to show our region has the lowest beer prices.

As reported in Cheers, Bolton drinkers can still buy a pint for around £1 or even less in some cases. Reputedly the cheapest pint in town is the Grey's Bitter sold for 85p per pint at the Crown and Cushion on Mealhouse Lane.

NWBLRA secretary Lee Le Clercq said that local drinkers also enjoy top quality and choice.

He said: "In our region we enjoy the best quality and range of beers in the country, with 12 large scale breweries brewing over four million pints a day - that's enough to fill almost five Olympic sized swimming pools a week."

Each pub has on average 20 different draught and bottled ales and lagers.

Mr Le Clercq added: "Most people don't realise what an important role the brewing industry plays in the North West. With more than 13,000 pubs in the area it is one of the most important in the region in terms of the number of people directly employed and contribution to the local economy."

On average each pub injects about £64,000 into the local economy.

But the area's pubs are under threat like most others around the country from the growing amount of booze smuggled in from France and sold on the black market.

And the NWBLRA has vowed to continue the fight for cuts in beer duty to counter the problem.

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