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A historic UK pub has started handing out free beer after local officials shut down its planned 25-cent pint promotion for being “irresponsible.”
Whitelock’s Ale House, one of the oldest pubs in Leeds, originally launched the deal to celebrate the return of Double Diamond, a pale ale popular in the 1970s. The plan was simple: the first pint would cost just 25p, roughly 32 cents.
But Leeds City Council stepped in before the promotion could fully roll out. Officials said selling beer at that price would breach licensing rules and could be considered an irresponsible alcohol promotion under UK law.
“The proposed 25p pint promotion would breach mandatory licence conditions on minimum alcohol pricing and irresponsible drinks promotions,” a council spokesperson told the BBC.
In England, it’s illegal to sell alcohol below cost, which is calculated using alcohol duty plus VAT. While the country doesn’t have a minimum unit pricing system like Scotland or Wales, the below-cost rule still applies.
Instead of scrapping the idea entirely, the pub found a workaround.
Bar starts giving out free beer after government shuts down $0.25 deal
After seeking legal advice, Whitelock’s announced it would give the first pint away for free instead of selling it for 25p. According to reports from the BBC and The London Economic, giving the beer away does not violate licensing rules in the same way selling it below cost would.
The free pint offer is limited to one per customer and applies only to the specific Double Diamond ale tied to the promotion.
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The move has sparked debate online, with many pointing out the irony. A heavily discounted pint was blocked as irresponsible, yet a free one is allowed under current regulations.
For customers in Leeds, though, the result is simple: what was meant to be one of the cheapest pints in town just became completely free.
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This is just the latest in a long line of beer-related publicity stunts and we’ve seen quite a few in 2026 so far. Earlier this year, Pabst Blue Ribbon released a gigantic 99-pack as part of a collab with Godzilla. Meanwhile, outdoor brand Columbia Sportswear unveiled a beer made with bear poop.
