48 hours to save the pub

By Matt Eley Matt

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Beer tax Tax British pub

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...

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 executive David Long on the eve of the most eagerly awaited Budget in decades and after the publication of research which shows 90 per cent of the public believe taxes should be frozen or dropped.

And he was backed by supporters of the Axe the Beer Tax Save the Pub campaign - inculding Emmerdale actress Adele Silva (pictured) and the Pub Landlord Al Murray - at an event in Westminster today.

Long said: "The Budget is just two days away. There are 48 hours to save the pub. Mr Darling must listen to the majority of the public and MPs and recognise that increasing beer tax at this time is wholly unjustified and to do so will be to sign a death warrant for thousands more pubs."

The research, conducted by ComRes, also shows that a third of the public agree that increasing beer tax will lead to more pub closures and that 29 per cent of people would be less likely to go to the pub if beer taxes go up.

Long added: "This poll shows that the public understands the damage that increasing beer tax has on pubs.

"The government increased duty by an eye watering 18 per cent last year and pubs are closing at a record rate - at about six a day.

"Such closures have a disastrous effect in terms of jobs and the life of communities. And yet the Chancellor is still planning to impose further increases this week."

Adele said: "My Mum and Dad ran pubs in south London when I was growing up, so I know just how important they are to local communities. We need to do everything we can to save the Great British pub and putting up tax again is not the right way of going about it".

Al Murray added: "One third of a pint is taxed, so it's not until you're nearly halfway through your pint that you stop drinking for the government and start drinking for yourself. All the pubs are asking for is a level playing field: the government will bail out the banks, but will they bail out the boozers? It's time to axe the tax!"

The Axe the Beer Tax Save the Pub campaign has been backed by 70,000 supporters since it was launched late last year.

Supporters today also presented a signed postcard at Parliament to protest at the government's plans.

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