British Pub Week launch: UKIP challenge to pubs minister

The event, held at the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s best London food pub, the Black Dog, in Vauxhall, was attended by trade professionals, politicians, celebrity chefs, and pub campaigners.

On the day that the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee (BISC) made an urgent recommendation to the government for a statutory code of practice for pubco-tenant relationships, speakers at the launch outlined the reasons for supporting the Great British Pub.

British Pub Week chairman Inez Ward said: “British Pub Week is about celebrating all the benefits that pubs bring to their communities and this country as a whole. Pubs have lost their glory a little bit over the last few years, it’s time for that to change.

“Now is the time for the Great British Pub to shine. British Pub Week is that platform for us all to celebrate all the good that pubs do.”

Suffered horribly​

The event took a political turn when Farage, whose party recommended a Royal Commission Investigation into the pub industry earlier this year, told Neill what still needs to be done to help save the trade.

“The pub has suffered horribly,” said Farage. “There are social reasons: drinking habits have changed, the way families operate has changed, so pubs have already had some pressure, but minister I would say this to you.

“The political powers of this country dealt pubs an absolute hammer blow four years ago with the total smoking ban. It has taken 20% off pub takings, and what I want to say to you is this. We are seeing common sense across northern Europe where pubs and restaurants are now allowed to provide a separate smoking room.

“I would urge you as the minister responsible can we please have a compromise. Can we please have a change in the law, can we please allow separate smoking rooms in pubs? It would make one hell of a difference.”

On beer duty and supermarkets, Farage added: “When George Osborne stood up at the budget and said he had no plans to increase beer duties he meant he had no plans to increase beer duties above what Alistair Darling had already given us. So the budget put another 15p on a pint.

“I think the campaign to take VAT down to 5% in pubs would actually help government revenue, not hurt government revenue, because with forty pubs a week closing, closed pubs pay no tax at all.

“And lastly with the supermarkets, you said yourself things need to be done. It would be very difficult for us to have minimum pricing but could I at least urge that you get supermarkets round the table and just ask them please to play fairly, because in many cases there are actually selling alcohol below the even level of duty, and it’s making it virtually impossible for the pubs.”

Limited​

Community pubs minister Neill said: “When you travel abroad you get very interesting venues to eat and drink, but there is something different about the British Pub. However it has had a bad time of it for a number of years and we somehow need to turn that around.

“The government can do some things, it can try for example and give more of a level playing with selling alcohol below cost in the supermarkets.

“We can do things about the cider tax which we abolished when we came into government, we can do things about easing up the licensing and make it easier to have live gigs and live performances in pubs without so much bureaucracy.

"We can help the smaller pubs, particularly those who qualify for small business rates as I did by extending the relief for an extra year from what was originally planned. There are things we can do but we can’t do everything.

“We can’t create markets at the end of the day but we can I hope create an atmosphere where it easier for pubs to do business.”