Keep Pubs Afloat Says Ealing Central and Acton MP

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Rupa Huq calls for business rate relief and freeze in beer duty

Ealing Central & Acton MP Rupa Huq is urging the Chancellor to keep pubs afloat in the Autumn Budget.

Dr Huq was one of over 50 MPs to add their voice to the campaign, calling on the Chancellor to consider introducing an annual £5,000 business rate relief for pubs in England as well as a freeze in beer duty for the rest of this Parliament.

She said, "Pubs are a force for good in Ealing Central & Acton and across the UK. Pubs are at the heart of our communities and the local economy. Even a teetotaller like me knows that but pubs are struggling under the weight of a growing tax burden, with each paying nearly £140,000 on average in tax every year. In Ealing Central & Acton we have 2 breweries, 50 pubs and the industry supports over 1,280 jobs. These establishments need all the help they can get, which is why I’m asking the Chancellor to do whatever he can to support them in the Autumn budget.”

Reviews of business rates across England mean many pubs are being hit with a massive new financial burden, which in some cases could only be covered by them selling thousands of extra pints of beer every year. The Government introduced a welcome one-off £1,000 discount scheme for some pubs in the latest Budget, but more action is needed to keep pubs afloat.

Taxes now make up a third of the cost of a pint, and UK beer duty is among the highest in Europe. Recent research carried out for CAMRA found that 55% of people who expressed an opinion believe beer duty is too high at 54p per pint. 

Dr Huq said,“The £1,000 business rates relief introduced this year has been a valuable lifeline for many pubs but it’s clear this is not enough to secure the long-term future of our valued pubs. I urge the Chancellor to go further and show more support for this important industry”.  

September 20 2017