The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) estimates the Six Nations rugby tournament will yield an additional £56m in sales for the pub sector, with a total of 130m pints anticipated to be poured.
According to the technology provider Zonal, new data has revealed that bookings from the Six nations tournament are already up by nearly 40% compared to last year.
BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin stated: “Rugby fans know that the best place to watch live sport, if you can’t be in the stadium itself, is down the pub.
Head to the pub
“With a predicted extra 12m pints set to be poured during the tournament, worth an extra £56m in sales, I encourage anyone wanting to watch the match to head to the pub and support their local.
“However, it is a sad but stark fact that UK pubgoers will be paying the highest beer duty than any of the other competing nations in the Six Nations.”
UK consumers are expected to pay three times more than France and Italy, therefore the BBPA is advocating for further reductions in beer duty by the Government in order to align more closely with the standard European average.
Pubs throughout the UK are also confronting new rates and fees, paired with previous rises in energy bills and operating costs.
£650m added costs
Additionally, following the recent Budget announcements, pubs and brewers are now facing an extra £650m in added costs throughout April this year.
The BBPA is urging the Government to implement meaningful business rates reforms and also stagger newer costs implementation in order to allow pubs to survive and thrive.
McClarkin added: “While we welcome the Government’s acknowledgement of the sector and the cut to draught beer in the last Budget, we need to see further cuts in beer duty to get closer to the European average”
