UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls has called for draught beer duty reform to support the hospitality industry.
She said, “Pubs and the wider hospitality sector have suffered greatly during the incredibly difficult period for the industry.
“Reducing draught beer duty would be a critical signal to encourage people back into hospitality venues, helping us create jobs, further support local communities and generate sustainable economic growth. It could also be a welcome first step in reforming the duty system to support hospitality, across all categories of drink and package types.”
The call comes following a new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group outlining that an urgent beer duty cut and a commitment to sticking to the roadmap was vital to save pubs.
The report recommended the government reduces the overall burden on brewers and pubs through lower overall duty, VAT and business rates, and to urgently consider the specific merits of a lower rate of duty for on-sales of draught beers to encourage footfall back into pubs.