VAT is a consumption tax which is added on most goods in the UK. Many countries in the EU offer a discounted rate to the hospitality sector to boost jobs and investment. The BBPA supports this principle and would like to see lower VAT on food sales in pubs.
No briefings
29 October 2018
Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget speech, Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of British Beer & Pub Association, said: “Pub-goers across the UK will be toasting the Chancellor tonight following his decision to freeze beer duty. This early Christmas present will save brewers, pubs and pub-goers £110 million and secure upwards of 3,000 jobs that would have been lost had beer duty gone up. “Clearly, the Chancellor has listened to the seven in 10 people in the UK who said they’d like to see beer duty cut or frozen in the Budget. Pubs are so important to their local communities and 82% of the beer we drink here is brewed in the UK. “This is a big step in the right direction and a huge help for pubs across the UK that are struggling. I hope we can continue to build on this success in the future and we will continue to celebrate the vital role that local pubs play in communities and highlight the ongoing pressures they face by supporting the Long Live The Local campaign. “The Chancellor’s announcement to cut business rates for high street and other small businesses is also great news for a lot of pubs. This will benefit community pubs by £120 million over the next two years, securing the viability of many locals across the country. We would urge the Chancellor to use the announced Digital Services tax to provide further support for all pubs large and small. “Furthermore, the Chancellor’s decision to announce a review of Small Brewer Relief is most welcome. “The announcement that the contribution by small businesses for the Apprenticeship Levy will decrease from 10% to 5% is also very good news for pubs. Likewise, so is the increase in investment allowance from £200,000 to £1 million. BBPA members invest over £200 million in their pubs each year. “These decisions are particularly welcome in light of the additional cost pressures facing pubs, such as increases in the national minimum wage and the previously announced increase in the climate change levy. “Overall, this has been a great Budget for pubs and pub-goers. Cheers Phil!”
09 April 2018
Today the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the publication of the Department for Transport’s ‘Beyond the horizon – the future of UK aviation: next steps towards an aviation strategy’, the document outlines how the upcoming Aviation Strategy will help the UK’s important tourism sector, which supports the UK’s pubs and brewing industry. The BBPA welcomes the Government’s support for Tourism and the clear desire to welcome visitors to the UK. The ‘Next Steps’ considers the importance of infrastructure connecting roads and rail to airports and is very much part of the Government’s strategy to encourage visitors to reach all parts of the UK. Pubs are important tourist destinations; more than half of tourists visit a pub whist staying in the UK, and pubs are listed as the third most popular UK tourist destination. Overseas visitors also drink our beer, want to try it again when they are home and this is good for brewing exports, worth £595 million to the UK economy in 2017. There is a section on alcohol consumption at airports. The BBPA has been engaged with the Home Office for some time on this issue and supports the extension of the Licensing Act to airside. Of course, BBPA members who operate at airports all use the same high standards as they do in pubs across the country. We are helping airports interested in many of the partnership schemes run by the industry, but it is vital that airports and airlines work together to find the right solutions. The publication is clear that immigration at airports is a vital part of our welcome and we must ensure that the use of electronic entry continues once we leave the EU. The BBPA also welcomed the Budget consultation on APD and VAT on tourism as both are vital to our competitiveness in a world market. Brigid Simmonds OBE, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, commented: “The BBPA will be working closely with the Department of Transport and other Government departments to ensure pubs are supported by the UK’s upcoming Aviation Strategy. As the UK leaves the EU and looks to trade with the rest of the world, a bold Aviation Strategy will help UK brewers sell their world-class beer across the world and keep the UK an attractive place to visit.”
£1.6 billion
the benefit to the Scottish economy from beer and pub sector.