Scots are crossing the English border in their droves to embark on festive booze ‘cruises’ in search of cheaper whisky.
Rising numbers of people north of the border are venturing into Cumbria in a bid to save costs after the Scottish Government increased the minimum alcohol prices by an eye-watering 30 per cent.
The increase means a bottle of Scotch whisky costs at least £18.20, compared to a floor of £14 previously.
The lowest possible price of a 500ml can of 4 per cent strength lager also rose from £1 to £1.30, while up to ten units of wine increased from at least £5 to £6.50.
One drinks shop in Carlisle, about 10 miles from the Scottish border, has seen a marked increase in the number of Scottish customers purchasing booze since the SNP increased the minimum alcohol prices in September.
Piers Foster, operations manager for The House of Malt, told The Telegraph there had ‘absolutely’ been more Scots visiting the shop in recent weeks to stock up on booze ahead of the Christmas period.
He added that Scotch whisky in particular had been flying off the shelves, with customers tending to buy a few bottles at a time.
Mr Foster said: ‘They keep bringing it up. It does seem to be an issue. We always have a bit of a laugh and a joke about it when they come in.’
Scots are crossing the English border in their droves to embark on festive booze ‘cruises’ in search of cheaper whisky (Stock image)
The House of Malt in Carlisle (pictured) has seen a marked increase in the number of Scottish customers purchasing booze since the SNP increased the minimum alcohol prices in September
Following the price changes, shopkeepers had expressed their that it would persuade greater numbers to drive to England to stock up on cut-price booze.
There are also disputes over the effectiveness of the policy. The SNP was accused of presiding over a ‘national scandal’ earlier as grim figures showed alcohol-linked deaths running at a 15-year high.
Some 1,277 people died as a result of drink last year, up one from 2022 and the worst since 2008.
The minimum unit price has been at 50p since the rules were introduced in 2018.
Conservative MSP for Dumfriesshire Oliver Mundell said the policy had not only ‘failed’ to stop alcohol deaths increasing, but has also meant ’tills in England are benefiting instead of ones up here’.
He told The Telegraph: ‘Bars and shops just over the border will be toasting the SNP for still being so wedded to their.’
SNP health spokesman Neil Gray previously said the MUP policy had ‘saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to reducing health inequalities’.
But he conceded that more had to be done to reduce alcohol deaths.
Conservative MSP for Dumfriesshire Oliver Mundell said the policy has meant ’tills in England are benefiting instead of ones’ in Scotland
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Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap) and Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) said that while minimum unit pricing (MUP) had been a success, it needed to be uprated annually to prevent ‘cheaper alcohol that causes the most harm’ becoming more affordable over time.
Both groups also said the Government needed to do more than just MUP if it is to tackle the ‘public health emergency’ of alcohol harms, and criticised it for ‘dragging its feet’ over alcohol marketing reforms.
