The campaign to secure a third, historic cut in beer duty moved up another gear today, with the launch of a new website from the BBPA, where supporters can email their MP asking then to back the campaign.
The website, www.beerandpubjobs.co.uk, provides a huge range of unique local data where campaigners can easily access figures on the positive impact of beer and pubs on jobs and the local economy in their own areas. Whether it’s Parliamentary constituencies, local council areas, or Britain’s nations and regions, there is a wealth of new data available.
The website also provides a brand new ‘email your MP’ tool, where just by inputting their postcode, supporters can send a message to their local representative calling for a duty cut.
There is also a fun, new ‘be the Chancellor’ tool, where users can see how many jobs would be created with any cut in duty, and how it would affect the price of a pub pint.
All the new local data on the site is based on a new report by experts at Oxford Economics for the BBPA, and provides a compelling case for a third, historic cut in beer duty in the Budget. Nationwide, it finds that an astonishing 870,000 jobs depend on British beer and pubs – and almost half (44 per cent) are younger workers under 25. Beer and pubs add almost £22 billion to the economy each year.
The industry brings “significant economic benefits to the national economy”, says the report. It finds that brewing itself sustains over 100,000 UK jobs, but it is in pubs where the jobs impact is most felt, with 770,000 jobs supported by the nation’s 48,000 pubs.
Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive, comments:
“Joining the campaign for a third cut in beer duty is easer that it has ever been before. I hope as many people as possible visit the website, use the huge amount of local information available, and most importantly send a message to their MP about this vital issue for beer and pubs.”
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For further information please contact:
David Wilson, Public Affairs Director: Tel (020) 7627 9151
Neil Williams, Head of Media: (020) 7627 9156
Notes to editors:
Visit the new website and email your MP: www.beerandpubjobs.co.uk
Local impact of the beer and pub sector – read the national summary full report on the BBPA website here
For the new joint BBPA, SIBA, CAMRA, Pubs of Ulster ‘Beer Story – Facts on Tap’ leaflet and infographics, see http://www.beerandpub.com/thebeerstory
More on the economic benefits of the two beer duty cuts in the BBPA’s Cheers 2014 report here.
Beer, pubs and Budget 2015 – key facts:
- The beer and pub sector supports 870,000 jobs – 44 per cent are under 25s
- 82 per cent of the beer sold in Britain is made in Britain
- One job in brewing generates 18 jobs, in pubs, one in agriculture, one in the supply chain and one in retail.
- Pubs rely on beer sales – seven in every ten pub drinks sold is beer.
- Under the beer duty escalator (2008-2013) beer tax rose by 42 per cent. During this period, 7,000 pubs closed and 58,000 jobs were lost.
- The two, one penny beer duty cuts have secured 16,000 jobs.
- After years of above inflation tax rises, beer taxes are still too high. Britons pay 40 per cent of all EU beer duties, but drink just 12 per cent of the beer.
- Beer prices increases in pubs are at their lowest since the 1980s.
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.
Neil Williams
Head of Media
British Beer & Pub Association
020 7627 9156
07974 249 779