Andrew Mitchell MP has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to request that Beer Duty is cut in the forthcoming Budget.
Andrew is backing the Long Live the Local Campaign to cut Beer Duty. Britain pays 40% of all beer duty in the EU while consuming only 12% of the beer. The average UK pint is taxed 11 times higher than the equivalent pint in Germany, putting our hospitality and tourism sector at a significant disadvantage to our European neighbours.
The ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign and the British Beer and Pub Association are asking for a cut in beer duty and the scrapping of the policy of annual RPI inflationary increases, to help a sector that supports 900,000 jobs across the country and contributes £23bn to the UK economy.
The pub and brewing sector is an important part of the Royal Town’s economy, with 44 Pubs and 1 brewery helping to support 1,818 local jobs.
Andrew Mitchell said: “The Government has cut or frozen beer duty at six of the last seven budgets. Ending the beer duty escalator has helped to ensure the price of a pint of beer is 14p lower than it otherwise would have been, but we need to do more to support out local pubs and the brewing industry.
Pubs play a crucial role in the social and economic life of our nation, as well in helping to promote responsible drinking. Cutting Beer Duty would be a real boost for our pubs which do so much to promote a strong community spirit and enterprise on our local high streets.
I hope that the Chancellor will take the opportunity at the Budget to back our pubs by cutting Beer Duty.”
