Sussex is the fifth most expensive county in Britain for beer drinkers, according to a new survey.

The cheapest pint available here costs 38p more than in Lancashire, the cheapest county, the Good Pub Guide 2001 finds.

Editor Rob Unsworth said: "The drinker is losing out. Even with economic differences accounted for by the North-South divide there is no real explanation for such a discrepancy in beer prices.

"Brewers of some of the pub chains are charging more for beer than they need to."

He added: "It does seem odd that the price of a pint can vary so much more around the country.

"The variation in the price seems to be dictated by what is available locally and if there is any competition.

"The difference must come down to the fact that some of the big brewers have a stranglehold because some pubs are tied to their beer."

The cheapest pint of bitter in Lancashire costs £1.16. In Sussex it is £1.54, the same as Kent and Oxfordshire.

The researchers, who visited 1,335 pubs nationwide, found London was the most expensive place to drink, with prices starting at £1.68.

Real ale drinker Mark Whittington, 26, of Elm Drive, Hove, said: "It's absolutely ridiculous. People who like a pint in the South seem to be punished for it.

"House prices are higher here because there's greater demand for accommodation, but why beer?

"Surely Northerners want a drink as much as we do, so why do we pay more?"

The Campaign for Real Ale claims the average price of a pint of ale in Sussex is £1.90 and lager costs £2.06.

Campaign marketing manager Ian Woolverton said: "Britain's independent breweries are leading the way by selling their beers cheaper.

"At some of our festivals the price is only £1 a pint. A lot of the large companies are spending a fortune on marketing."

The Good Pub Guide survey is published tomorrow.