Tim Martin: 'Different government, same attitude towards pubs'
10-Sep-2010 By Hamish Champ
Announcing another record breaking trading performance by his company, JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin condemned what he called the "draconian"...
06-Sep-2010 By Mark Stretton, M&C Report
Tim Martin, the chairman of JD Wetherspoon, is to take to the stage at this year's UK Pub Retail Summit — the senior congress organised by M&C...
BBPA: Fairer beer duty would create 30,000 new jobs
01-Sep-2010 By James Wilmore
Around 30,000 new jobs would be created if beer was treated more fairly in the duty system, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has told...
01-Sep-2010 By Ewan Turney
Around 30,000 new jobs could be created if beer was given a fairer deal in alcohol duty, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has claimed.
'Row over moves to devolve alcohol licensing powers'
17-Aug-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
The Wales Office has accused the assembly government's health minister of breaking the devolution agreement by calling for powers over alcohol...
10-Aug-2010 By Ewan Turney
The Government has announced a series of consultation dates for the industry to have its say on alcohol taxation. Its plans for re-classifying the definition of cider will be up for discussion.
30-Jul-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report
Beer sales — aided by the World Cup — saw their first like-for-like quarterly increase in sales in four years, the British Beer & Pub...
Pub beer sales boosted by World Cup
30-Jul-2010
Pub beer sales were given a much-needed boost by the World Cup, but year-on-year sales are still sliding, latest figures show. Sales of pints were...
Tax shouldn't be taxing, apparently
25-Jul-2010 By Hamish Champ
Well, are you thrilled at the prospect of an Office for Tax Simplification, created by the Chancellor of the Exchequer as per his promise of two...
SABMiller: Duty rises depressing demand
22-Jul-2010 By Hamish Champ
The European lager market was continuing to toil under tough economic conditions, brewing giant SAB Miller said today. In an interim management...
Osborne sets out to make tax simpler for small businesses
20-Jul-2010 By Hamish Champ
The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has created a new office to help simplify the country's tax regime for the business community. The...
MPs' bid to block VAT rise fails
14-Jul-2010 By James Wilmore
A cross-party bid to stop a hike in VAT to 20 per cent next year has failed in Parliament. A proposed amendment to the Budget-enabling Finance Bill...
'Publicans raise a glass as alcohol duties freeze'
23-Jun-2010
Publicans raise a glass as alcohol duties freeze Britain's publicans, brewers and distillers were toasting George Osborne yesterday after he promised...
22-Jun-2010 By Gemma McKenna
The alcohol duty escalator remains in place and VAT will rise to 20% — that's the news from the new Government's Emergency Budget. Chancellor...
Alcohol duty left alone in emergency Budget
22-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Chancellor George Osborne has left alcohol duty alone in his emergency Budget but increased VAT to 20 per cent The move, which industry experts...
BBPA: Duty freeze is a welcome relief
22-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the coalition government's decision to freeze alcohol duty. Chief executive Brigid...
Chancellor urged to consider small businesses
21-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
Chancellor George Osborne is being urged to consider a sunset clause to help small businesses such as pubs cope with any rise in VAT. The Federation...
Industry fears tax hikes in emergency Budget
18-Jun-2010 By Hamish Champ
Brewers and pub operators are clinging to the hope that next week's emergency Budget does not feature a 'double whammy' of tax increases: beer duty...
15-Jun-2010 By Lesley Foottit
A VAT hike to 20% would raise the price of a pint by 6p and cause the loss of 7,000 jobs a year, without a compensatory cut in duty. The report by...
VAT hike could result in 7,000 job losses
15-Jun-2010 By Matt Eley Matt
An increase in VAT to 20 per cent would add 6p to the price of a pint and result in 7,000 job losses, according to new research. The study by Oxford...
21-May-2010 By Martyn Leek, M&C Report
Whitbread, the pub/restaurant and hotel operator, has revealed it is to contribute £100m worth of property assets to plug its pension deficit. By...
21-May-2010 By Ewan Turney
Almost seven million fewer pints were drunk in pubs over the first four months of the year. The big January freeze was partly to blame for the 8.8% volume drop on last year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association's beer barometer.
19-May-2010 By Phil Mellows
The widening gap between the duty on beer and wine and spirits is taking more money from lower earners, says Phil Mellows.
18-May-2010 By Lesley Foottit
The Government must outline robust plans for reducing the UK's budget deficit, according to nine out of 10 small businesses. The Federation of Small...
12-May-2010 By Gemma McKenna & John Harrington
The new coalition Government has moved to dampen fears of imminent tax rises in the emergency Budget, due within 50 days. The "coalition agreement",...
12-May-2010 By John Harrington & Gemma McKenna
Trade chiefs have given a cautious early welcome to news of the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition Government. Details continue to emerge...
Wetherspoons warns on economic outlook
05-May-2010 By Hamish Champ
Rising taxes, higher interest charges relating to its refinancing and "subdued consumer confidence" have prompted JD Wetherspoon to sound a note of...
05-May-2010 By Ewan Turney
Managed pub operator JD Wetherspoon has claimed back £14.9m in overpaid VAT on gaming machines in its pubs. The money has been claimed back from HM...
19-Apr-2010 By Gerry Price
My new government would recognise the importance of owner-operated pubs in providing training and employment for needy youngsters in the UK.
23-Mar-2010 By Ewan Turney
Two-thirds of the British public want the Government to ditch its controversial beer tax escalator in Wednesday's Budget. The poll, conducted by...
Brulines to pay second interim dividend
22-Feb-2010 By Hamish Champ
Brulines, the beer flow monitoring group, is to pay a second interim dividend to shareholders. In a statement issued today the group said its board...
Chris Maclean: Revealed - the real reasons for the Government's war on booze
19-Feb-2010 By Chris Maclean
--- Memo starts --- From: Election Strategy Department, Labour Head Office, Victoria St., LondonTo: Alistair Darling MP, Chancellor of the...
Fears over major cider duty hike
18-Feb-2010 By James Wilmore
The price of cider could soar after next month's Budget as fears mount the government will single out the category for a major tax hike. All alcohol...
16-Feb-2010 By Ewan Turney
Enough is enough on alcohol duty — that's the warning from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) as the Budget edges ever closer.
Fears over more Budget duty hikes
16-Feb-2010 By James Wilmore
Concerns have been raised the government could hike alcohol duty even more in next month's Budget - on top of the escalator. The Wine and Spirit...
BBPA warns of £85m cost of SWP tax
10-Feb-2010
Government plans to change the taxation of popular quiz and games machines like Clued and Monopoly, will cost the industry £85m, the British Beer...
Expect VAT to rise, warns leisure industry expert
14-Dec-2009 By Hamish Champ
A leading leisure expert has warned the pub sector should prepare for a possible hike in VAT in the near future. Richard Hathaway of accountants KPMG...
09-Dec-2009 By Lesley Foottit
The Government makes over five times more money from the sale of beer than brewers and pub companies, according to new research. Oxford Economics...
Darling ignores calls for beer duty cut
09-Dec-2009 By James Wilmore
Chancellor Alistair Darling has ignored industry calls for a cut in beer duty in his Pre-Budget report today. However the industry can breathe a...
27-Nov-2009 By John Harrington
High taxes could force alcohol prices in the off-trade up 10% next year, according to Anheuser-Busch InBev UK president Stuart MacFarlane. He...
Capital Pub Co sees London turnaround
18-Nov-2009 By Hamish Champ
Capital Pub Company, the London-based pub operator, said today it had seen an upturn in trading throughout its key Central London market. "Our pubs...
Stuart MacFarlane: It is time for the government to save, not destroy, the Great British Pub
31-Oct-2009
We all know the story by now - the recession has hit the UK hard, and the British pub trade has been hit harder than most. But while other...
29-Oct-2009 By John Harrington
Licensees have been targeted in a massive internet tax scam that has hit tens of thousands of people. Adnams tenant Alan Randall was sent an email...
Government considers duty cut on low-strength beers
10-Sep-2009
A duty cut on lower-strength drinks could prompt UK brewers to launch low-alcohol versions of top-selling brands. The Treasury is "not denying"...
Pubs closing at record rate of 52 a week
22-Jul-2009 By James Wilmore
Pubs across Britain are now closing at a record rate of 52 a week, more than seven a day, according to new figures released today. The figures,...
30-Apr-2009 By Andrew Pring
Blaming Fair Pint for Darling's decision to raise duty makes us much sense as blaming the pubcos for every ill, says Andrew Pring.
30-Apr-2009 By Stephen Oliver
Whether it's this Government or one of the other lot that takes over this poisoned chalice, we're stuffed, says Stephen Oliver.
The pub industry: a house divided?
25-Apr-2009 By Hamish Champ
People I spoke to last week about Alistair Darling's Budget were understandably peeved. There was the City analyst who viewed the Chancellor's...
Brewers slam "schizophrenic" government
22-Apr-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has slammed the government for its "schizophrenic' approach to the local brewing industry. Chief executive...
48 hours to save the pub
20-Apr-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has warned there are just two days left to save the British pub. The comments were made by chief...
