Drinkers and pub-goers are being mobilised in their thousands to urge the Chancellor to take action in his March Budget to save the UK’s pubs and breweries.
Consumer group CAMRA is calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to draw up a support package to save the UK’s pubs and breweries from having to call last orders for good.
The Campaign for Real Ale fears that the trend of small breweries going out of business and pubs closing could explode if help isn’t announced this Spring.
Businesses are being hit by the rising costs of goods and employing staff, help with energy bills being dramatically reduced from April, and customers continuing to tighten their belts.
Now CAMRA is mobilising pub-goers and beer drinkers in their thousands to call on MPs to back the campaign to save the nation’s locals.
CAMRA is calling on the Chancellor to use his Budget to announce:
• A 20% cut in duty charged on draught beer and cider to help pubs, social clubs and taprooms across Great Britain to compete with supermarket alcohol when the new system of alcohol taxation is introduced in August 2023.
• Assurance that the amount of help hospitality businesses receive towards their energy bills will continue at its current level until Spring 2024.
• Introducing a permanent lower business rates multiplier for hospitality businesses in England to recognise their community value – with funding for governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to do the same.
Pub-goers are being urged to use CAMRA’s e-lobby tool, which quickly identifies your local MP and provides a template letter urging them to back the campaign to save the nation’s pubs and breweries. The tool is available at: https://camra.e-activist.com/page/121106/action/1
Commenting, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said:
Local pubs and breweries are at the heart of our communities, bringing people together and tackling social isolation – but many are under threat of closing down for good due to the rising costs, spiraling energy bills and punters tightening their belts.
“If we want our pubs to survive and thrive in the months and years ahead, then the Government needs to use the upcoming Budget to announce a support package to save our pubs and breweries.
“Without help, we risk losing our much-loved community pubs for good and face more small and independent breweries shutting up shop – reducing choice for drinkers up and down the country.”
