UK pub charges Aussie journalist Peter Lalor $100k for one beer

Would you pay $100,000 for a single beer? News Corp Australia cricket writer Peter Lalor did after being mistakenly overcharged while grabbing a drink at a bar ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.

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A News Corp Australia cricket writer covering the Ashes series in the UK claims he drank “the most expensive beer in history” after being incorrectly charged a whopping AU$99,983.64 at a Manchester pub.

Our own Peter Lalor was staying in a branch of the Malmaison Hotel ahead of the fourth Ashes Test match when he bought a bottle of Deuchars IPA at the hotel bar.

Peter Lalor faced a difficult phone call from his wife after being charged almost $100,000 for a single beer.

The Australian’s revered cricket journalist was only supposed to pay about STG5.50 but coughed up far more than he bargained for before realising the mistake.

We’ll let Lalor take up the story, in his own words.

See this beer? That is the most expensive beer in history.
I paid $99,983.64 for it in the Malmaison Hotel, Manchester the other night.
Seriously.

Contd. pic.twitter.com/Q54SoBB7wu

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

It was a quiet Sunday night when I made the fateful purchase. I asked a young barman if he had anything that was not an American craft beer or Eurolager. I wanted something a little British.
He had no idea. Said he’d only worked 6 shifts at the establishment.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

Anyway, I didn’t have my reading glasses when she presented me with a bill for the beer and when she had some problems with the machine I didn’t think much of it, but it was eventually resolved, I said I didn’t want a receipt and she went to leave.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

She kept giggling, I told her it needed to be fixed and fixed right now. She ran to get her manager who took the situation far more seriously and went about attempting to arrange a refund.
She told me somebody would be in contact. Three days later I’m still waiting.

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

It really is baffling that both Visa and our bank would allow such an amount to go through unquestioned.

And, guess what? They agree that there is a refund in the system but it will take 9 working days for it to go through.

In the mean time there’s a massive hole in my finances

— Peter Lalor (@plalor) September 5, 2019

A Malmaison spokesman told local news outlets an investigation into the incident was underway.

“We are currently carrying out an investigation into what took place,” the spokesman said.

“We have been in contact with Peter to apologise and ensure this has been resolved as quickly as possible.”

Originally published as UK pub charges Aussie journalist Peter Lalor $100k for one beer