The Great British Beer Garden

Experts at Aqua reveal the best UK cities for beer gardens, and how to successfully budget for summer.

Written by Hayley Bevan and Victoria Smith

Published: 26/03/25Published on March 26th, 2025

Last reviewed: 26/03/25Last reviewed on March 26th, 2025

8 mins read

Summer is just around the corner, and many of us will be looking forward to whiling away sunny afternoons and balmy evenings in beer gardens across the country. Whether we’re sipping our favourite pint, or quenching our thirst with an ice-cold soft drink, us Brits enjoy nothing more than soaking up some sun in our beer garden of choice.

The UK has a whole host of outdoor drinking spots to choose from, but which city is the best for beer garden lovers, and where exactly might you find the cheapest pint?

We conducted research looking into the best cities in the UK for a beer garden trip, taking into account factors such as the price of drinks, average temperatures, amount of sunshine, number of beer gardens, and of course, the amount of dreaded rainfall.

However, while summer plans can be exciting, they can also be challenging for our budgets and savings. With this in mind, we’ve also put together some top tips for how to budget for the summer season, so you can enjoy the sun without any extra financial stresses.

The best cities for a beer garden trip

To get the very best out of a British beer garden you need a few things; warm temperatures, lots of sun, no rain, and affordable drinks. We’ve analysed some of the most populated cities in the UK with these factors in mind, in order to determine which city offers the ultimate beer garden experience.

Boasting the most sunshine of any city in the UK – with 241 average sunshine hours in May – plus the second-least amount of rainfall at just 42mm on average, Southend-on-Sea has been crowned the best city for a beer garden trip. An average pint here will set you back just £4.00, with cocktails (£8.00) and soft drinks (£1.12) also being relatively cheap compared with other cities.

Portsmouth comes in as the second best destination for a beer garden trip, with an average temperature in May of 12.8°C, one of the warmest of all locations, 43mm of rainfall in May and a pint costing £5.

In third place, we have Crawley, thanks to its impressive 2,312 beer gardens per 100,000 people – the highest of any location in the analysis. Not only this, but the town boasts an impressive 206 hours of sunshine in May on average.

On the other end of the spectrum, Belfast has been revealed as the worst destination for a beer garden trip. The expensive pints (£6.00) and the lack of pub gardens (8 per 100,000 people) puts a dampener on any outdoor drinking plans.

Newport and Bristol round off the bottom three thanks to expensive pints (£6.00 and £5.00 respectively) and fewer sunshine hours of around 185 on average in May. Newport also experiences one of the highest average rainfall levels in May, around 74mm.

The cheapest cities for a pint

Whether you go for a crisp pale ale, a classic lager, or a fruity pilsner, there’s few things better than a cold pint on a hot summer’s day. Taking into account average prices, our research has also looked into which cities offer the cheapest pints, and where in the UK may set you back quite a bit for your favourite tipple.

Taking the crown as the city with the cheapest pint is Blackpool, with a pint costing just £3.25. Following behind is Northampton, with a pint costing £3.50, followed by Derby, costing £3.60.

Blackpool takes the crown as the city with the cheapest pint, with an average price of just £3.25. Close behind is Northampton, where a pint will set you back £3.50, followed by Derby at £3.60, making these great spots for a night out without breaking the bank.

Unsurprisingly, London and Belfast, both capital cities, top the list as the most expensive places for a pint, with an average price of £6.00. This is followed closely by Bristol, where a pint costs £5.60, then Reading (£5.50).

For those of us who prefer something non-alcoholic, Southend-on-Sea, Milton Keynes and Swindon are the best places for soft drinks, with a 330ml bottle of coke costing just £1.12 in each location.

The cities with the most beer gardens

While some of us may have our favourite haunts that we never venture from, sometimes it’s nice to switch up the usual drinking spots. With this in mind, the research has also revealed which cities in the UK have the most pub gardens in comparison to their population.

Topping the list is Crawley, which boasts 2,312 beer gardens for every 100,000 people. Overall, the city has a huge 4,173 beer gardens despite its relatively low population of 180,508.

In second place is Luton, with the city offering 1,616 beer gardens per every 100,000 people. In third place is Dudley, which is home to 1,257 beer gardens per 100,000 people and just 199,059 residents.

Budgeting for your summer plans

Sharvan Selvam, Commercial Director for Aqua says, “When faced with lots of social plans, saving and budgeting can be somewhat of a challenge. Putting a solid budget plan in place is the first step to having fewer financial stressors, and with realistic expectations and open communication with friends and family, you may start to feel less pressure to overspend. Everyone’s financial situation is different, so it’s important to do what’s best for you and your future.”

Top tips for budgeting and saving during the summer season

Set realistic goals for yourself

Everyone’s financial situations are different, but you should know what you want to achieve with your goals. Make them measurable and achievable, whether that’s focusing on a certain amount you want to save for summer spending, or giving yourself an allowance to stick to each week.

Set yourself a leisure budget

Budgeting is key to ease any financial stresses, and setting yourself a leisure budget could take away any potential for overspending during the summer. Whether it’s socialising in the sun, weekend trips away, or a big trip abroad, factor in any additional outgoings you think the summer could bring. Setting yourself a certain budget to stick to means you can enjoy the sunny season guilt-free.

Plan ahead

No matter what you plan to do with your time, do a bit of research beforehand to find the best budget-friendly spots. A quick Google might lead you to the cheapest pubs, restaurants, and cafes in your area, or if you’re looking for a bit more adventure, often booking ahead with activities, trips, and travel can save you a good amount of money.

Communicate your budget with friends and family

We are all on different budgets, and socialising can be tailored to everyone’s financial situation. If plans start to become more expensive than expected, don’t be afraid to suggest other ideas that are more budget-friendly to friends and family, they will understand.

Honesty is key here, so let them know that you’re trying to be a little more conscious of your spending, and it can always help to explain your financial goals and what you’re working towards. Often it’s more about spending quality time together than the actual activity, so your loved ones will likely be open to any other suggestions as long as they get to see you.

Have solutions in place if you do end up overspending

We all have the tendency to overspend from time to time. Just remember, you’re not alone and this doesn’t need to set you completely off track.

Identify why you’ve overspent in the first place, take another look at your budget, and be more conscious of your spending for the rest of the month. It might be a case of saying no to a few social plans, but having these honest conversations with yourself will help you to continue to work toward your goals.

If you are concerned about your finances, or are particularly struggling with where to start, speaking to a financial adviser or using a free advice service like Money Helper can be really beneficial for understanding your financial situation and getting back on track with your budget and savings.

Drink Responsibly

Enjoying a drink with friends is great, but it’s important to do so responsibly. Overindulging can impact your health, finances, and decision-making. Always know your limits, pace yourself, and never drink and drive. If you’re out at a beer garden, plan ahead for a safe way home.

For more tips on responsible drinking, visit:

Drinkaware

Alcohol Change UK

NHS Alcohol Support

Sources and methodology:

Based on a seedlist of the 40 most populated cities in the UK, the research analysed a variety of different metrics, including the number of pubs with gardens per city, the average cost of a pint, soft drink and cocktail and the average amount of sunshine, rainfall and temperatures in May, to determine where in the UK is the best for beer gardens. Metrics and sources included:

Average price of a domestic beer - Numbeo

Average price of a soft drink - Numbeo

Average price of a cocktail - Expatistan

Average summer temperature in May - Met Office

Average sunshine hours in May - Met Office

Average rainfall in May - Met Office

Number of beer gardens - What Pub

Contributors

Hayley Bevan

Hayley is an editor at Aqua.

Victoria Smith

Victoria is an editor at Aqua.