BEER drinkers were today reeling at the prospect of paying as much as 17p a time to have their pints topped up. Apparently even the lined glasses introduced a few years ago do not guarantee a full 20 fluid ounce pint.

And then we have to take into account the north-south divide in ale preferences.

Drinkers in the north insist on a good "head" on a pint whereas southerners prefer their beer flat, which presumably gives them a better chance of getting full measure.

But who is complaining anyway? We have detected no ground swell among drinkers.

There have been no tap room protests or brewery sit-ins.

Apparently it is all down to a government consultation document.

It looks like a case of heads you win, heads you lose.

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