The call comes a day before Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to issue her second Autumn Budget.
Georgel cited a British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) prediction that more than one pub will close every day in 2025 – an estimated 378 closures across England, Wales and Scotland.
Georgel said: “Our sector contributes tens of billions to the economy, yet pubs are under increasing pressure from unsustainable tax burdens.
“Business rates are the most pressing issue – relief was cut from 75% to 40% at the last Budget, adding thousands of pounds to annual rates bills. We need meaningful reform that works for businesses, not against them.
Vital part of British life
“The Government must act now to keep a pint of great British beer affordable, protect jobs and ensure pubs remain open for generations to come – they are a vital part of British life.”
He has been joined by licensees across the south-west to take positive action and ease mounting financial pressures on pubs ahead of this week’s Budget, warning that the sector is at a critical tipping point.
They say rising costs and increased taxation are threatening the survival of thousands of pubs – many of which are the beating heart of their communities.
Damian and Miranda Knight have run pubs with St Austell Brewery for 12 years and are the current publicans of the Cornubia Inn and the Royal Standard Inn in Hayle, both are part of St Austell Brewery’s leased and tenanted estate.
Extremely tough
Damian said: “The Spring Budget changes, with business rates relief decreasing and national insurance increasing, has been extremely tough. Our sales are up year on year but turning that into profit is the struggle.”
Adam Holland and Natalie Radford run the Blue Ball Inn in Exeter, also in St Austell Brewery’s leased and tenanted estate.
Adam said: “We have 33 staff on the payroll, so national insurance increases have been really challenging.
“We’re not like supermarkets that can raise prices and people will pay because they need essentials. We can’t keep hitting our customers with higher costs. Pubs are the centre of communities, and these are very challenging times.”
St Austell Brewery, which is based in the south-west of England and operates 164 pubs as well as brewing beer, is backing the BBPA’s Long Live the Local campaign, which is calling on the Government to ease financial pressures on pubs, including beer duty, business rates and VAT.
