Hobgoblin takes beer duty fight to the top

A 100-foot image of Wychwood's Hobgoblin character was beamed on to Big Ben last night urging consumers to back British beer.

The Hobgoblin adopted Lord Kitchener's pose from the famous First World War poster and declared: "British Beer Needs You!"

The image was projected on the eve of National Cask Week (6-13 April) in support of the Axe the Tax campaign to convince Chancellor Alistair Darling to ditch his planned duty escalator on beer in April's Budget.

"Beer is our national drink and the Government should support national champions, but our Chancellor continues to load punitive tax increases on beer," said British Beer and Pub Association director of communications Mark Hastings.

"Last year alone he put up tax on a pint by an eye-watering 18%. Now he plans to put it up again in the Budget on 22 April. The British people don't want it. It's time to say enough is enough and stop any further tax increase in this year's Budget."

Stephen Oliver, managing director of Wychwood parent company Marston's Beer Company, added: "Cask Beer is one of a few British treasures left. Crafted using British grown ingredients, for thousands of years, it is truly part of our heritage, something we should protect with a passion."

Wychwood is also encouraging people to show their support by mimicking the pose and uploading photos to its British Beer Needs You Facebook page​.

The brewery has also produced T-shirts of the image, which can be purchased at www.wychwood.co.uk​. Half a million limited edition bottles of Hobgoblin are also available in April.