The boom in breweries
The number of beer makers in the UK is at a record high
THE boom in breweries shows no signs of slowing down, with more beer makers in the UK than ever before. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were around 1,405 manufacturers of beer across the country in 2018.
While the total is rounded to the nearest five, making it impossible to give an exact figure, it does show that the number has been growing for several years now.
The 1,405 breweries currently operating in the UK is up from closer to 1,315 in 2017, 1,195 in 2016, and is more than twice as many as the 570 beer makers that could be found across the country in 2010.
Most of the beer makers across the UK are microbreweries - defined as those employing fewer than 10 people.
There are around 1,195 of these nationally, meaning only about 210 of the beer manufacturers are larger businesses.
The number of micro-breweries has increased from around 1,125 in 2017 and 460 in 2010. The boom in these smaller businesses is partly down to a surge in the popularity of craft beer, with increasing demand for more choice and specialist options such as vegan or gluten free beer.
The craft beer revolution was also fuelled by something called “small brewers’ relief” (SBR) - a tax break introduced in 2002 by Gordon Brown.
Since then, smaller breweries have benefitted from paying 50% less beer duty than larger beer makers.
These tax breaks are now under threat, with the Treasury considering reforms to SBR over concerns that it has actually curtailed growth in some respects.
The Small Brewers Duty Reform Coalition (SBDRC) argue that the scheme incentivises breweries to cut down on production to retain a cost advantage over those who do expand, resulting in fewer jobs.
However, the Society of Independent Brewers (Siba) say that the majority of small brewers use the relief to invest in their business to grow and pay down debt, and if it changes some will no longer be able to continue making beer.