Scotland’s beer and pub sector was severely impacted by the pandemic through sustained periods of closure and measures which inhibited the sector’s ability to trade viably and freely, disproportionately to many other sectors. Coming out of the pandemic we were hopeful that our sector was on the path to recovery following a festive period devastated by Omicron. However, the cost-of-living crisis now facing us all will only serve to exacerbate the challenges facing our sector and threatens business failures across the country. The sector is now facing unprecedented levels of inflation, including energy price rises with no cap like residential properties, increased staffing costs and increases through every part of the supply chain.

Before the Covid pandemic, Scotland’s beer and pub sector was both a national economic powerhouse, and a bedrock of local communities right across Scotland. Now however, some pubs are fighting just to survive. Our survival and subsequent recovery is dependent on the support of national and local policymakers. Scotland’s pubs and brewers need help NOW. As we approach next month’s Scottish local elections, our industry is appealing for policymakers to support the following policy measures:

Local Support: 

• Establish ‘Hospitality and Late-Night Economy Champions’ to advocate for our sector locally and ensure high-level engagement with the industry for the duration of the recovery phase through the re-establishment of licensing forums
• Develop dedicated local Hospitality Strategies which recognise the importance of pubs, brewers and late-night venues to communities, town centres, the tourism industry, and the wider economy and ensure that local areas are an attractive place for consumers to visit and spend money
• Ensure that future licensing policy statements do not place additional burdens on the beer & pubs sector or inhibit the recovery, restrict the use of overprovision zones, and make sure that the industry is consulted extensively during their development
• Permanently waive permit fees for outdoor seating and adopt an approach to planning policy which places pubs at the heart of community and town centre regeneration to enable pubs and bars to trade freely during summer months to help the sector recover and to accommodate changed public behaviour and preferences, whilst ensuring the industry will be supported should another variant emerge, and restrictions need to be put back in place
• Work alongside retailers and hospitality businesses to facilitate shared Deposit Return Scheme return points in areas where these businesses will struggle to meet the requirements of return points due to lack of space or other factors where communal return points will benefit recycling Ensure DRS is workable without jeopardising investment in the Scottish brewing and hospitality sector.
• Protect and enhance the provision of local transport, promote the use of rural transport routes, postpone plans to introduce low emission zones and rule out the imposition of the Workplace Parking Levy to help maintain and improve footfall and reduce the burden on pubs already paying business rates
• Work collaboratively with industry at a local level to facilitate an increase in the availability of low and noalcohol products to customers

National Support: 

• Assist in lowering the disproportionate tax burden on pubs and brewers by supporting a cut in beer duty, wider reform of the business rates regime and a permanent reduction in VAT for all food and drink sales in the on-trade
• Introduce a two-year moratorium on policies which may create additional costs for pubs and bars and engage extensively with the sector when considering any policies which may impact our sector
• Support an energy price cap on hospitality premises, similar to the cap on residential premises to help businesses in the sector survive the next 12 months

View a copy of the manifesto here:local election 2022 manifesto (final)