The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) believes proposed changes to licensing laws will not help small brewers trying to get their businesses back on a level footing after the Covid outbreak.
It is understood that a new category of licence proposed will limit breweries to providing a sample after a tour and will not permit taprooms, which have become common place in England, Wales and Scotland.
SIBA’s head of policy and public affairs, Barry Watts, said: “A tour-only licence severely restricts what breweries can offer and has not been a success when it was recently introduced in the Republic of Ireland.
“When the industry is struggling to cope with the impacts of Covid-19, Northern Ireland breweries should be allowed the same opportunities as other small brewers in the UK.”
