In response to the Chancellor’s Spring Budget announcement, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said:
“The Budget was a missed opportunity to show 'backing for the Great British pub' by significantly cutting tax on draught beer and cider served in pubs. However, freezing alcohol duty until February 2025 will be welcomed by consumers and breweries, helping mitigate an additional hike in costs to be passed on to pubs and pub-goers.
“Making duty on draught beer and cider significantly lower would promote drinking in the regulated setting of a community local and help small and independent producers who sell mainly into pubs and taprooms to compete against the global brewing giants and the likes of supermarket alcohol. CAMRA will continue to campaign for the Treasury and all political parties to back our sensible ask of making tax on pints in pubs 20% lower than the general duty rate.
“The Chancellor’s announcement that the VAT registration threshold for small businesses will be increased will not benefit the majority of pubs, breweries or cider producers. Cutting VAT on all sales in the hospitality sector would have been a simple way to support consumers and beer and pub businesses in all parts of the UK – helping to keep the nation’s pubs, social clubs and breweries alive and thriving at the heart of communities and local economies. The Chancellor should still consider cutting VAT for these businesses to ease the significant financial burdens on the sector and help to reduce the rate of pub and brewery closures which deprive consumers of community pubs and choice of local beers.”
