“Today’s publication of the impact on the hospitality sector shows the continued toll on our struggling pubs and brewers devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. With payments to businesses such as breweries only around half of its pre-pandemic levels and consumer spending at less than 70%, the sector needs further flexibility on VAT, beer duty and other tax debts to make it through the recovery. Even as restrictions are being lifted today, this analysis demonstrates it will take a very long time for consumer confidence to return and for businesses to again turn a profit.
“SIBA believes that this is the time for the Government to announce sector boosting policies such as a lower rate of beer duty on draught beer and positive reform of Small Breweries’ Relief to save our local pubs and small breweries.” James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive
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Press release from SIBA
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