DRINKERS in East Lancashire have been forced to fork out up to an extra 6p on the price of their pints - and another increase could be looming.

Landlords are keeping their fingers crossed that Chancellor Gordon Brown's budget on July 2 does not add to their misery.

The price rise bombshell hit pubs after Thwaites told landlords to increase prices by around 4p a pint from this week to cover its cost rises.

But many have been forced to increase prices by 6p to cover their own cost increases.

Blackburn Licensed Victuallers Association warned that the increase would not help the struggling industry and would drive away drinkers.

Chairman Geoff Sutcliffe, who runs the Manxman Hotel, Blackburn, said: ''I don't think anybody is happy. An increase is wrong at this time. ''It is hard enough getting people into pubs without increasing the prices.''

He added that he would not be surprised if pubs were dealt another price blow in the budget.

Other brewers, including Scottish and Newcastle and Whitbread, recently increased their prices.

North West Federation of LVAs chairman John Broderick said the latest increases were not welcomed by drinkers.

''It is hurting the public. We get customers having a go and blaming us for the increase.

''Drinkers are upset and it means trade goes down. The pubs have also had to add a couple of pence to cover increases in their own general running costs.''

Mr Broderick runs the Thwaites pub, The Brewery Tap, Blackburn, and this week increased the cost of mild and bitter from 140p per pint to 146p.

He added that landlords in Thwaites pubs had on average increased their beer prices by 5p or 6p.

Thwaites sales and marketing director Paul Winter said: ''The increase in raw materials and other costs leaves us with no alternative but to review certain products.''

He confirmed that the cost of bitter and mild had increased by around 4p in the company's 300-plus pubs in the north

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