Following the Chancellor's Budget announcement to freeze beer duty and extend the £1k business rate relief for most pubs in England, Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has commented.
On the subject of beer duty, CAMRA's National Chairman, Colin Valentine (pictured) said,
“Pub goers were fearing the worst from this Budget but will now be raising a glass. Freezing beer duty will help arrest rising beer prices and keep the British pub going tradition affordable.
'I will be celebrating this decision in my local this evening and I hope millions of beer lovers across the country will be doing the same.
'Now, to make a real, lasting difference we hope that this move represents the first step towards a long-term freeze. CAMRA is calling on brewers to match the Chancellor's support by holding beer prices so that local pub goers benefit.'
On the subject of business rates in England, Valentine said, 'We welcome the Chancellor’s decision to extend the £1,000 rate relief for pubs for one more year. This shows that the Government is alive to the threats facing English pubs although more needs to be done.
'CAMRA is calling for further action to secure a thriving pub sector and would like this relief to be made permanent and increased to £5,000 a year. We would also like to see a wholesale review of the business rates regime, which unfairly penalises pubs and rewards online retailers.'
Following the plans announced by the Chancellor to increase duty on higher strength ciders, Valentine added, 'This will be disappointing news for a number of traditional cider producers who will be hit by this measure unless an exemption for traditional produce can be secured.'