"48 hours to save the pub"
20 April, 2009
Celebrity supporters get behind the Axe the Tax campaign
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned there are just two days left to save the British pub.
The comments were made by chief executive David Long on the eve of the most eagerly awaited Budget in decades and after the publication of research which shows 90 per cent of the public believe taxes should be frozen or dropped.
And he was backed by supporters of the Axe the Beer Tax Save the Pub campaign - inculding Emmerdale actress Adele Silva (pictured) and the Pub Landlord Al Murray – at an event in Westminster today.
Long said: “The Budget is just two days away. There are 48 hours to save the pub. Mr Darling must listen to the majority of the public and MPs and recognise that increasing beer tax at this time is wholly unjustified and to do so will be to sign a death warrant for thousands more pubs.”
The research, conducted by ComRes, also shows that a third of the public agree that increasing beer tax will lead to more pub closures and that 29 per cent of people would be less likely to go to the pub if beer taxes go up.
Long added: “This poll shows that the public understands the damage that increasing beer tax has on pubs.
"The government increased duty by an eye watering 18 per cent last year and pubs are closing at a record rate – at about six a day.
“Such closures have a disastrous effect in terms of jobs and the life of communities. And yet the Chancellor is still planning to impose further increases this week."
Adele said: "My Mum and Dad ran pubs in south London when I was growing up, so I know just how important they are to local communities. We need to do everything we can to save the Great British pub and putting up tax again is not the right way of going about it".
Al Murray added: “One third of a pint is taxed, so it's not until you're nearly halfway through your pint that you stop drinking for the government and start drinking for yourself. All the pubs are asking for is a level playing field: the government will bail out the banks, but will they bail out the boozers? It's time to axe the tax!”
The Axe the Beer Tax Save the Pub campaign has been backed by 70,000 supporters since it was launched late last year.
Supporters today also presented a signed postcard at Parliament to protest at the government’s plans.
Readers' comments
To quote: 'Churn Churn churn. Nobody notice how many pubs haven't changed hands in the last three years? Ken Nason'. Therefore, they clearly have the ability to thrive under a Labour government.
Ken , I'm glad you understand my point. Those who fail to adapt will go the same way as the Dinosaurs and so they should. As an aside, I haven't noticed JDW suffering too much under this governernment so if they're not, no reason why anyone else is. Blaimg Westminster is always an easy target and in actuality, a rather pathetic cop-out.
So Chris this governments legislation has had no effect whatsoever on the trade. Interesting perspective? Ken Nason
I don't think that the government can bve blamed for the demise of the trade in any way. Tax on petrol costs the average person far more than the tax on beer and yet we still drive cars. I think that what we're witnessing now is more of a natural cull and only the fittest will survive. Nature took care of the Dinosaurs and replaced with with more able and efficient creatures. I reckon that's a pretty sound analogy.actually.
All very interesting but this government has been consistant in showing that it has no interest whatsoever in the survival of the pubs of this country. On the contrary it has gone out of its way to accelerate the demise of the trade. So what makes anyone think that anything less than an election defeat will change anything. Ken Nason
2p or not 2p. That is the question.
Angela - my apologies, I too am a publican, what I meant to say was last year the Daily Mail produced a wonderful piece effectively claiming that we were making money off the tax increase, suggesting that we made 8p as the tax was only 2p. If the only press we get in the daily rags is so negative about us, we won't get government to change. If the nationals start to report on pubs in an unbiased manner (as a couple have done recently) then we might get Mr Eyebrows to stop milking us dry. Get the public to understand how '2p' ISNT 2p. >>>As for tomorrows announcement, I don't think I can go much more expensive, but I'd have to...
Do the BBPA really think that all it will take to save the British Pub is to halt the rise in tax? Halting the rise in the tax will not do the pubs ant harm, but it will not solve the main problem i.e. how do you persuade people back to the pub. The BBPA have not said how they intend to achieve this. Until they take off their blinkers and recognise the serious effect that the Smoking Ban has had on oub trade, this will not happen. If they put the same amount of effort in to promoting an effort to amend the blanket Smoking Ban, they could be on to a winner. There have been Recessions before and the pubs survived them. Beer prices rise every year, people complain but don't stop going to the pub. Supermarkets have always sold cheap alcohol, but the pubs survived. We now have our first Smoking Ban and the pubs are closing in unforeseen numbers. Relax the blanket Smoking Ban and give people a choice and see what happens.
firstly to ed.. when the chancellor puts 2p on a pint-that is at the brewer.. they add 15% vat & charge this rate to the brewery / pub co they in turn have to + 15% so by the time the inflated price gets to the publican-it does indeed add 10p per pint-because we also have to add the vat! but i think you will find that most publicans are adding less, or indeed nothing-because in todays climate-we have no option! anyone that believes that a publican has a licence to print money-is sadly misguided.. 20 years ago that was maybe the case.. i, like many others have ploughed my life savings into me pub (a fully repairing lease), & in 2 1/2 years have only had one day off, no holiday, & am now in debt. i work in excess of 100 hours a week. so YES! i feel that to inflate the price of booze again in the budget is totally unfair.. why are our government throwing our money at banks that won't lend? the car industry, when few have the money to buy?? our government, that only this week gave £250 bonuses to employees that battled their way into work when we had snow!! i ask you? why on earth are these idiots still in power?? they've sold off the countries assets, got us in a state of bankruptcy, & they now want to close our pubs, with yet more tax hykes.. surely the dunkirk spirit still lives somewhere in us?? we need to tell mr brown - enough! get your act together, cut your & the government employees expenses.. stop paying idiots that screw up pay offs-sack them, & bring charges against them. let them start living in the real world, & allow us the workers (their employers-be allowed to live a little!!) stop encouraging scroungers.. if they haven't paid in-they shouldn't be able to benefit..
Is it safe to presume that until the daily press report on the subject that tax will continue to go up? That's presuming the Daily BullS... doesn't dig up last year's 'if he said it only goes up 2p a pint why are publicans charging us 10p more?'
Wait for the way they [ New Labour] package this one. A good guess would be an increase in duty because of binge drinking and that its better for our health not to drink so much or to control anti social behavior. Then I could be wrong ( look for the flying pigs).
48 hrs to save the great british pub? Did i read this wrong? are the pubcos going out of business in 48hrs?