The 84,000 member strong consumer organisation had called on the Government to freeze excise duty as the decision to increase tax is likely to result in higher prices, less customers in pubs, and a drop in revenue for the treasury.

CAMRA Chief Executive Mike Benner said: “This is a false economy for the Government as we may now see an exodus from pubs after beer prices rise.

“This is bad news for the millions of people who enjoy British pubs but will now face a higher cost to visit them. Therefore trips to the pub will become less frequent and the revenue the Government makes from VAT will suffer.

“At a time when 56 pubs a month are closing, the smoking ban is imminent and supermarkets are selling beer at ridiculously low prices, British pubs needed a lifeline from their government and that has been denied them.

On the announcement that duty on cider would rise by 1p per litre, Mike Benner added: “Cider has recently been selling very well in the on-trade, but the news of an excise duty increase could hamper its resurgence.”

CAMRA released the results of an annual prices survey in March 2007

Key findings from the prices survey:

• The average price of real ale rose by 10p (4.61%) to £2.34
  
• The average price of lager rose by 12p (4.67%) to £2.57
  
• The cheapest region in the UK is the North West, where a pint of real ale costs £2.04. However this year is the first time the price in this region has risen over £2
  
• The most expensive region is London, where a pint of real ale costs £2.57
  
• Real ale prices for small (micro) breweries rose by 4.83% to £2.29 Real ale prices for medium sized independent brewers beers rose by 4.14% to an average of £2.41, and real ale prices for global and national brewers beers rose by 3.79% to £2.28

CAMRA Prices Survey is now in its 19th year. Details of past surveys are available from CAMRA.

For more information visit www.camra.org.uk