Wine 'rip-off' in London eateries

Wine which cost £3 can be sold for up to £16

London is one of the most expensive places to have a meal in the world due to overpriced wine at restaurants, according to a dining guide.

The Time Out London Eating and Drinking guide says the city's restaurants charge up to six times more than off-licences for the same bottle.

House wine is the biggest rip-off because it is often the worst quality.

The guide says restaurants rely on customer ignorance and use wine profits to make up for high running costs.

It advises diners to buy wines made from grapes which are not particularly fashionable to get the best deal.

'No idea'

Time Out food and drink editor Guy Dimond said: "Restaurants rely on the ignorance of customers about what a bottle of wine costs.

"People assume that the cost relates to the quality of the wine but that is not the case.

"The problem is that when you are in a restaurant faced with a wine list you have no idea what you should be paying."

The average mark-up on wine in London is three times that of the off-licence price.

A bottle of house wine can cost as little as £3 from suppliers but be sold for £16 in a restaurant