The Campaign for Pubs has written to chancellor Rishi Sunak urging him to revise the cut-off point for the proposed draught beer duty relief.
In the Budget statement on Wednesday, the chancellor announced sweeping changes to the alcohol duty system in the UK. Among these was a duty reduction for draught beer and cider sold in pubs and bars. But the cut, due to be introduced in April 2023, would only apply to drinks served from vessels of 40 litres of more.
Many craft brewers use 30-litre kegs as standard, while some cask brewers supply 36-pint pins to smaller pubs and micropubs. Smaller vessels help premises with less throughput, as well as those who like to showcase the products of as many small brewers and cider makers as possible.
The letter has been signed by campaign vice-chair, publican Dawn Hopkins, and its brewer coordinator, Phil Saltonstall, founder of Brass Castle Brewery. It has also been circulated to Charlotte Nichols LP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Pub Group, and Mike Wood MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group.
Discrimination
The letter says that the 40-litre limit “discriminates against smaller UK brewers and cider makers, and also, therefore, discriminates against pubs and bars that reply upon these container sizes and champion these smaller UK producers.”
It adds: “Draught duty relief should apply to all draught beer and cider, and not favour only large (often multinational breweries) and associated pub companies.”
The campaign also pointed out that the containers being held by Mr Sunak and the prime minister in a photo opportunity at Fourpure Brewery were 30-litre kegs, which would not be included in the new draught duty rate.
• You can download the letter here, or view it via Twitter here.
