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16th August 2022

Meet with business leaders to secure future for pubs and wider hospitality, BBPA says to next PM

In an open letter, the BBPA has called on leadership candidates to meet with business leaders to secure urgent relief on energy costs and secure a long-term plan for hospitality to avoid losing businesses and jobs across the country.

The BBPA has written to Conservative Party leadership hopefuls Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to insist they convene a summit with business leaders to save pubs and other hospitality venues from closure should they become Prime Minister.

In the face of rising energy bills, staff shortages and a cost-of-living crisis, the trade association has written to both candidates to call for a roundtable of business leaders to be convened ‘at the earliest opportunity’ to ensure there is a plan for tackling the cost of doing business and a long-term strategy in place for hospitality.

The letter comes shortly after leaders from across hospitality and the night-time industries, including the British Beer and Pub Association, called on Government to take immediate action on rising energy bills by introducing an energy cap for small businesses.

Thanking both candidates for the support provided by the Government to the pub and brewing industry throughout the pandemic, the letter warns how the next few months are likely to be more critical for the industry than periods of closures throughout 2020 and 2021.

Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, Emma McClarkin said:

“Our sector hangs in the balance, rising energy bills are crippling pubs across the country with only one in three turning a profit and that figure only likely to worsen as winter approaches. The situation is dire, what we are experiencing now is arguably worse than the pandemic because we are receiving absolutely no relief on out-of-control energy costs.

“We need urgent action from the Government to save businesses and jobs in communities across the country, but we also need a long-term plan to ensure the health of the hospitality sector so it can continue to support the economic and social fabric of our country.”

Earlier this summer the BBPA wrote to all candidates in the Conservative Leadership contest with a mini manifesto for brewing and pubs, outlining key asks of any new Prime Minister to ensure a thriving industry.

Read the full letter.

ENDS

For more information or to arrange an interview contact Jessie Powell at jpowell@beerandpub.com / 020 7627 9199

Notes to editors: 

About the British Beer & Pub Association
The BBPA represents UK companies which between them brew over 90% of the beer sold in the UK and own 20,000 pubs.

Our members include international companies, national and local brewers and pub businesses operating managed and tenanted pubs in cities, towns and villages across the country.

These businesses are at the heart of communities and local economies and include family businesses who have been brewing beer and running pubs for hundreds of years alongside emerging brewers and pub operators.

  • The UK’s beer and pub industry supports close to 940,000 jobs
  • The industry adds £26.2billion to the UK’s economy each year

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Press release from the BBPA.

For further information, please contact Jessie Powell (she/her) via JPowell@beerandpub.com.