DRINKERS who can’t decide between a pint and a half will soon have another option in York, after beer giant Heineken launched its new glasses.

The firm held a northern launch event in York on Wednesday night for its new “schooner” glasses, which measure two-thirds of a pint each.

Duncan Barlow, Heineken’s regional sales director for Yorkshire and Teesside, said they allowed customers to drink more responsibly and at a lower price, that they keep beer fresher, that they are preferable with food and that they appeal more to female drinkers.

Two-thirds of a pint became a legal pub measure last year, and the firm is issuing 500,000 of the glasses to pubs in 2012, branded for its Heineken, Amstel and Tiger beers. The northern launch took place in The Biltmore in Swinegate, and the glasses will also be distributed to the Kennedy’s, Tiger 10 and Vudu Lounge bars, and possibly the Artful Dodger pub in Micklegate.

Mr Barlow said: “We welcome the new two-thirds of a pint measure and the boost it will bring for many of the region’s pubs.”

Karen Waugh, owner of Kennedy’s, said: “The schooner is fantastic. It’s very lady-friendly. It’s an attractive glass, easy to hold. My customers will love it.”

Marc Allinson, from the Artful Dodger, said: “This will be great for us because of where we are. We get a lot of people in parties who are going pub to pub, and if we can give them something that’s not quite as expensive and is a smaller drink that looks like a full-size drink, that’s great.”