As pubs across the UK struggle with Guinness shortages, one pub-owner said the situation is getting "very real".

Over the past few weeks, some pubs in the UK have been facing shortages of the Irish stout.

Guinness' manufacturer Diageo has said "exceptional customer demand" is responsible for the supply issues.

On Moncrieff, Wandsworth-based pub-owner Colm Lynch said the situation is becoming "very real" for many bars.

Mr Lynch, who owns the Hop Pole Pub in Wandsworth, said while he has not been too badly affected, other pubs are worried about their supply.

Supply

"Some of the pubs in my area don’t have any Guinness - I had several people texting me to see if I had Guinness," he said.

"What happens in these situations, it’s a bit like when petrol is low – everyone panic-buys, and that’s what happened - I’m guilty of that myself."

Mr Lynch believes a number of factors are behind the rising popularity of Guinness in the UK.

"They’re saying during the Autumn Rugby Internationals a lot more people were drinking Guinness than they normally would - it’s supply and demand at this stage," he said.

Mr Lynch said online trends such as splitting the G have also made the stout more appealing to young adults.

Pint of Guinness on a pub table, Alamy.

"It’s very trendy now to have a pint of Guinness," he said.

The marketing of Guinness Extra Cold has also impacted demand, Mr Lynch said.

"A couple of years back, Guinness was seen as a winter-only drink - but the Extra Cold thing has helped it be seen as a 12-months-of-the-year drink," he said.

Mr Lynch says some pubs are unable to get alternative stouts due to contracts with breweries.

"Most pubs here are brewery-owned," he said.

"When you lease a pub from a brewery, you have to buy your beer from that brewery – it's part of the conditions of your lease."

While the Guinness situation may have worried Mr Lynch, he says the next few days will be a quiet time for the pub.

Feature image: A pint of Guinness, Alamy.