It’s one of the three main existential crises that has troubled mankind since the beginning of time; why are we here, what is life for… and, if I were to go drinking in a pub on the telly, where would I get best value for money?
Well finally RadioTimes.com has answers for you. And not like the finale of Lost – we have the definitive answer to one of these questions that continues to stump humanity. And it's the most important one.
The cheapest pint in soapland is to be found in…
The Rovers Return in Coronation Street’s Weatherfield, where a pint of mild will set you back a mere £2.20.
However, as none of the other pubs sell mild (according to the price lists seen by RadioTimes.com) the best comparisons to do are on bitter and lager.
In the bitter stakes, it’s a dead heat between archrivals Corrie and EastEnders, with a pint in The Queen Vic (Jenkins to be precise) costing £2.70, exactly the same price as a pint of standard session bitter in The Rovers Return.
Visitors to Hollyoaks’ The Dog in the Pond in the fictional Chester suburb of Hollyoaks will have to stump up an extra five pence per pint for their bitter, whereas high-rollers at The Woolpack in Emmerdale’s Yorkshire countryside pay the most at £2.85 for a standard pint of bitter, and a whopping £3.40 a pint for special bitter. And who said London was the most expensive place to drink?
Lager drinkers should head to Chester for their TV-inspired tipple, as The Dog in the Pond offers a pint for just £2.85, a clear ten pence cheaper than its Northwest rival The Rovers Return, where a refreshing lager is £2.95.
East London’s The Queen Vic will do you a pint of Devlin lager for £3 flat, but once again the most expensive place is the Woolpack where Emmerdale’s residents are forking out £3.29 a pint.
So what have we learned? Well firstly, this was time well spent… and don’t go to the Yorkshire Dales with a thirst on if you’re partial to a fictional drink.
Now, get out of my pub!
The Soapland Price List
Pint of Bitter
The Rovers Return (Corrie) = £2.70
The Queen Vic (EastEnders) = £2.70
The Dog in the Pond (Hollyoaks) = £2.75
The Woolpack (Emmerdale) = £2.85
Pint of Lager
The Dog in the Pond (Hollyoaks) = £2.85
The Rovers Return (Corrie) = £2.95
The Queen Vic (EastEnders) = £3.00
The Woolpack (Emmerdale) = £3.29