A cut in alcohol duty is required

THE freeze in alcohol duty in the recent budget was preferable to an increase, but CAMRA had called for a cut in duty on beer served on tap to help pubs recover from prolonged closure and compete with cheap supermarket alcohol. Even after the freeze in the Budget, beer duty in the UK remains among the highest in Europe.

CAMRA national chair Nik Antona commented: “The Government’s commitment to review alcohol duties in the coming months is welcome. CAMRA will continue to call for a lower rate of duty for beer served in pubs.

“Reducing tax on beer served in pubs and social clubs would encourage responsible drinking in a supervised, community setting - as well as boosting jobs and local economies, helping consumers and benefiting pubs and licensees.

“Cutting VAT [on food] as pubs begin to reopen, and reducing it until April next year, means they can now start benefiting from that cut - but CAMRA believes this VAT cut should be extended to alcohol so that traditional locals that don’t serve food can benefit too.”

The extension of furlough until September and new grants of up to £18,000 are very welcome. However, pubs won’t be able to reopen fully owing to ‘table service only’ restrictions. They will need continuing support, over and above new loans, to help them survive until they can reopen fully once again and trade at full capacity.

Given how tough it’s going to be in the next couple of years, the 100% cut in business rates needs to be extended for a full 12 months, as has already happened in

Scotland.

Why pubs are important in addition to economic arguments such as jobs, there are other reasons to support the sector. There aren’t many places with free admission where you can order a drink and either just enjoy it on your own, or chat to strangers without being thought forward.

They are valuable meeting places and help people overcome isolation, important in a society with record numbers of single occupancy homes, and are venues for quizzes, live music, sports and various special occasions. As Hilaire Belloc wrote 100 years ago, “When you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves for you will have lost the last of England”.

Visit your local CAMRA website southport.camra. org.uk. covering Southport, Merseyside and Ormskirk, West Lancashire.