Freeze on price of pints ‘useless’

PLANS to freeze the price of a pint of Guinness are merely a stay of execution for Irish publicans, it was claimed yesterday.

Pub owners said the move would do little to reverse the decline in business caused by higher taxes and the smoking ban.

Con Dennehy, council member of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, said he was extremely sceptical about delaying increases until June 2005.