Pub sees rise in customers smuggling in own drink

A pub manager said customers smuggling alcoholic drinks inside had been like "a punch in the face".

Megan Sim, who runs The Dolphin in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire said her team had noticed a significant increase in people bringing their own drinks in 2026.

"They're stashing it out the back and pouring whenever they want – the worst was when they brought in two bottles of vodka and a bottle of rum," she said.

She warned pubs would be lost if people took advantage and did not "treat them correctly".

Andy Tighe of the British Beer and Pub Association agreed.

"Hopefully it's not widespread. If it became widespread, it would push many pubs over the edge.

"We already saw a pub every day closing in 2025.

"We very much hope people will understand that this is not something pubs can absorb and not something they should be doing," he said.

Sim said it was "not youngsters" but "people that are our age" who were "bringing in cans, bottles, the little buzz ball cocktails".

"But they're still sitting in the pub, still enjoying the entertainment. It's really frustrating."

She estimated the pub lost £480 on one of the worst occasions.

Some people were embarrassed and apologetic when confronted, but others became "quite aggressive and mouthy", she added.

"I've got a young team here, and they're actually scared to approach people."

Sim said the pub put on a lot of community events, including comedy nights, business support sessions and live music.

"We can't do all that stuff if people are taking advantage.

"The reality is, if you bring your own drinks, then we can't afford to get more stock, we can't afford to have the entertainments.

"We would have to stop doing these great things for the community," she said.

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