Jodie is backing bid to cut Beer Duty
FORMER TOP MODEL IS BEING SUPPORTED BY LANDLORDS IN A CAMPAIGN TO HELP PUBS HIT BY LOCKDOWN –
PUBLICANS are backing a call by supermodel and landlady Jodie Kidd made to the Government to support the pub trade by cutting beer duty.
The model, best known for gracing the catwalk, also owns The Half Moon pub in Kirdford, West Sussex. She first started petitioning Government for a cut in Beer Duty in 2018, when on average, three pubs a day closed their doors for good.
Despite three long years of campaigning with Long Live The Local, almost 500,000 petition signatures and more than 250,000 people writing to their MP, the Government is yet to reduce Beer Duty, a tax which, at 54p on every pint, is three times higher in the UK than the average across the EU and 11 times higher than in Germany and Spain, she said.
The 42-year-old said: “Pubs face a range of tax pressures including VAT, Business Rates and Beer Duty.
“I first backed the Long Live The Local campaign in 2018, when pubs were already struggling to survive with three pubs closing every day. “The Government must act to help save pubs from the dire situation they face now.
“Following a year of lockdowns, severe trading restrictions and huge uncertainty, almost 2,000 pubs closed their doors for good - that’s five local pubs every day gone forever.
“We must do everything we can to protect others from the same fate.”
Pub owners in and around Burton have been echoing her call.
David Rowe, owner of The Three Horseshoes, in Barton, said: “There has been talks about this matter for a while and for pubs like me, who are tied into buying from Marston’s, it would be cheaper if I bought it from the supermarket myself.
“If they do decide to scrap the beer tax, or even reduce it, it will allow us to compete with supermarkets as it is always a struggle for us to combat the prices people are paying at supermarkets.
“This will help to get people back into pubs, reduce anti-social drinking and encourage social drinking, which will help reduce mental heath and be a better option for all.”
Harvey Kang, owner of The Greyhound Inn, in Ashby Road, Swadlincote feels the Government have to recuperate the money they spent giving out in grants, so the possibility of cutting beer tax might not be successful.
The 30-year-old said: “It’s a tough one, yes we would be happy if the beer tax was not there, but the Government needs to generate income to stay sustainable and continue.
“It would be great for publicans as it will build their spirit and boost income.
“For me, I am very happy the VAT on hot food has been reduced from 20 per cent to 5 per cent and that is a great gesture and one that will benefit plenty of pub restaurants.
“However, an alternative could be to offer the hospitality sector, which in my opinion has been the most affected sector dung the pandemic no beer tax for a period as a goodwill gesture, just to allow then enough time to get back up and running effectively.”
Jodie said when pubs were able to open, like many, her small village pub struggled to make a profit while it was operating at limited capacity to meet social distancing guidelines.
She said: “Throughout the last year, the pub industry has had to make huge financial sacrifices. Landlords like me are desperate to be open and welcome back our locals at the right time, but the thought of having tax increases to cope with on top of all this is unbearable.
“A cut in Beer Duty will help pubs which are the backbone of local communities up and down the country. Not only do they provide livelihoods but also a social and cultural hub that so many of us are deeply missing at the moment.”
David Cunningham, programme director of Long Live The Local, a campaign backed by a broad alliance of pubs, brewers and industry bodies, says, “Almost half a million people have signed the petition and
Emma Mcclarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association 250,000 have written to their MP urging them to cut Beer Duty to help local pubs and brewers.
“While a freeze in Beer Duty was welcomed in March 2020, pubs and brewers have faced a year of lockdowns and severe trading restrictions. The Chancellor must recognise the plight facing pubs and brewers and give them the cut for which they, and so many people, have been asking for three years – it’s never been more needed. Without support from government, we’re at real risk of losing thousands more pubs from our villages, towns and cities.”
Emma Mcclarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association said: “The industry has shown resilience and agility, with many publicans turning their venues into entirely new operations in order to survive the lockdowns and continue providing vital support to their local communities.
“We appreciate all the Chancellor has provided the beer and pub industry throughout the pandemic, but the job is far from over. A cut in Beer Duty will give our publicans and brewers an opportunity to reduce mounting costs, allowing them to survive and thrive when they are able to open again.”