Responding to the announcement today from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock that more areas will be moved into higher tier restrictions in England, Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:
“The update on the virus and associated tier restrictions today is yet another blow to a sector already on its knees. It is clear that it is going to be the longest winter in living memory for Britain’s pubs and brewers. Unless there is a greater package of financial support from the Government to secure our pubs and the brewers that supply them, a wave of business failures in the New Year is inevitable.
“We desperately need the Prime Minister to step up to the plate and commit to an enhanced package of measure for pubs and brewers. If the Government acts now they can still secure pubs and jobs by giving locals in England the sort of support those in Wales and Scotland are getting. Without this the outlook is very bleak indeed.”
Notes to editors:
The beer and pub sector in the UK employs a total of 900,000 people – 600,000 of which are directly employed in pubs.
The British Beer & Pub Association is the leading body representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies. The Association is more than a century old and was originally founded as the Brewers’ Society in 1904. Our members account for some 90 per cent of beer brewed in Britain today, and own around 20,000 of the nation’s pubs.
Press release from BBPA
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