Drop the Pint Day on Friday will see venues across the UK offer pints at lower German tax rates

Pubs, bars and taprooms across the UK will be pouring pints at Germany’s lower tax rates tomorrow (Friday 9 October) as part of the Drop the Pint Day to highlight the potential benefits of a lower tax on pub beer ahead of the Budget later this month.

The UK has one of the highest rates of tax on pub pints in Europe which is ten times as high as in Germany. Independent research revealed today finds that if the UK had a similar tax level as Germany it could create over 16,000 new jobs. The research by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) shows that it could see 119 million extra pints being poured and boost the economy by £663 million.

The Drop the Pint Day will see 65 venues across the UK reducing their prices on one cask or keg of beer to German tax levels on Friday only. This limited offer will be on a first come first served basis.

It is in support of the Drop the Tap Tax campaign which asks beer drinkers to sign the petition and write to their MP ahead of the Budget on Wednesday 28 October when the Chancellor will make a decision on alcohol tax levels for next year.

The Chancellor has the power to cut tax specifically on beer that is sold in pubs via the hand pulls and keg taps. The so called Draught Relief is currently set at a 13.9% reduced rate. Independent brewers believe that boosting this could create jobs, help grow the economy and give a boost to pubs and breweries across the UK.

“When it comes to supporting breweries and beer, the Germans do it right. They understand the cultural importance and contribution they make to the local communities and therefore have a much lower rate of tax,” said Andy Slee, Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) which is organising the campaign.

“This is why pubs, bars and taprooms across the UK will be demonstrating what a lower tax on beer could do for us by pouring beer at German duty levels for the Drop the Pint Day. Getting the Chancellor to Drop the Tap Tax in his Budget would be a win-win for our community pubs, independent breweries and beer drinkers.”

The campaign petition can be found at www.droptaptax.com and publicans, brewers and hospitality venues can download posters and share the petition on social media using the hashtag #DropTapTax. It runs up to the Autumn Budget which will be held on Wednesday 28 October 2026.

Notes to editors

The research by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) published today shows:

A 90% Draught Relief (a similar beer duty rate to Germany) would create 16,327 additional full time equivalent jobs in brewing and the ontrade. It would see a £662,751,184 increase in GVA consisting of a £440,843,778 increase in ontrade GVA and a £221,907,406 increase in brewing GVA (excluding duty). This would result in £234,032,080 in additional employee compensation and £255,587,803 in increased tax take across the supply chain, excluding changes in excise duty. It could see 118,932,801extra pints sold.

The following list of pubs, bars and taprooms will be pouring beer at German duty levels on Friday 9 October. The headline duty rate in Germany is 5 pence for a pint of beer compared to 55 pence in the UK.

East

Legra Tap & Kitchen, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2SF

Leigh on Sea Brewery Taproom, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 5PR

Other Monkey Brewing The Taproom, Colchester, CO1 1LB

The Billericay Brewery Taproom, Billericay, CM12 9LS

Wildcraft Tap,Coltishall, NR129NB

Midlands

20 Arches, Brackley, NN13 7DS

Blue Monkey Brewery Taproom, Giltbrook, NG16 2UZ

Bulls Head, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3AJ

Burton Bridge Inn, Burton-on-Trent, DE14 1SY

Cheshire Cheese, Buxton, SK17 6HA

Greyhound, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1JT

Hobsons Brewery Taproom, Cleobury Mortimer, DY14 8RB

Old Poets Corner, Ashover, S45 0EW

Roebuck, Leek, ST13 5AB

Royal Exchange, Stone, ST15 8DA

Sun Inn, Stafford, ST17 4JX

The Beacon, Lichfield, WS13 6JJ

The Crafty Dragon, Whitchurch, SY13 1SE

Vat and Fiddle, Nottingham, NG2 1NB

White Horse Inn, Clun, SY7 8JA

bod Alsager, ST7 2ET

bod Lichfield, WS13 8FT

bod Matlock, DE4 3LT

bod Newport, TF10 7NE

bod Stafford, ST17 0EF

bod Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2AA

bod Stone, ST15 8AU

bod Trentham, ST4 8GG

North East

Abbeydale Beerworks, Sheffield, S7 1FL

Brass Castle Taphouse, Malton, YO17 7AB

First & Last Taproom, Bellingham, NE48 2DA

Rooster's Brewing Co Taproom, Harrogate, HG2 8QT

The Firebrick at The Grainger Market, Newcastle, NE1 5QQ

Northern Ireland

Bullhouse East, Belfast, BT4 1HJ

North West

Jennings Brewery Taproom, Cockermouth, CA13 9NE

The Neptune Beerhouse, Maghull, L31 2HB

The Witch Tap House, Atherton, M46 0EQ

West Walls Brewing Taproom, Carlisle, CA3 8UB

Wincle Beer Taproom, Macclesfield, SK11 0QE

Scotland

Sulwath Brewers Taproom, Dumfries & Galloway, DG7 1DT

South East

Elusive Brewing Taproom, RG40 4RF

Langham Brewery Taproom, Petworth, GU28 9BU

Off the Rails, Alton, GU34 5HN

Royal Blenheim, Oxford, OX1 1PT

Siren RG1, Reading, RG1 1HP

Siren Tap Yard, Wokingham, RG40 4RF

The Market Tap, Oxford, OX1 3EQ

The Montefiore Arms, Ramsgate, CT11 7HJ

The Tite Inn, Chadlington, OX7 3NY

Unit 4 Taproom, Windsor, SL4 1SE

London

40ft Brewery Taproom, London, E17 5RB

Hammerton Tap, London, N7 8XH

House of Hammerton, London, N7 8LT

Orbit Beer's Taproom, London, SE17 3HD

South West

Exeter Brewery Taproom, Exeter, EX4 4NX

Flow & Tracks, Lostwithiel, PL22 0HG

Mason Brewing Co Taproom, Threemilestone, TR4 9LD

Siren Cheltenham, GL50 4FA

The Fallen Tree, Clevedon, BS21 7PD

The Hour Glass, Exeter, EX2 4AU

Treen's Brewery Taproom, Ponsanooth, TR3 7JW

Wales

Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd, CF37 4DA

Magic Dragon Brewery Tap, Wrexham, LL13 8BT

The Little Bar on the Bridge, Bridgend, CF31 1JH

The Market Tavern, Haverfordwest, SA61 1NH

For further information please contact SIBA Press Office via press@siba.co.uk.

Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.