Long Live The Local

The British pub has long since been a place for people to come together and is an indispensable part of British culture and heritage. However, if there is a hike in beer tax in this Autumn’s budget, this may put local pubs out of business, endangering the vital part they play not only in Britain’s identity, but also in their contributions to community.

The mission of the nationwide “Long Live The Local” campaign is to protect and celebrate the important role that pubs have in Britain’s community, culture and national identity. Backed by Britain’s Beer Alliance, the campaign calls on the Government to cut the overwhelmingly high beer tax to help keep pubs open, a tax that is only set to rise further in the next three years. 

Did You Know?*

• A shocking one in three pounds spent in pubs goes straight to the taxman
• Britain’s pay up to 12 times more beer duty than other EU countries
• British people pay 40% of the Beer Duty in Europe, whilst drinking only 12% of the beer

The campaign was launched on 19 July 2018 from the Chancellor’s local, The Red Lion, Westminster, a pub that pays a staggering £105,000 a year just on beer duty. Jodie Kidd, publican of The Half Moon Inn at Kirdford, pulled a pint in the Fuller’s pub to mark the launch of the campaign, calling on British people to sign a petition asking the Government to cut beer tax and keep pubs open for the next generation to enjoy. 

Why is this so important?

For us Brits, pubs are the social hubs of communities. They are the places that bring communities together, a place for friends and families to celebrate and remember one another over a pint, or as a centre for those who are alone to meet new people and find companionship. Pubs provide the opportunity to get involved in activities from quizzes to comedy nights and for social and cultural groups to meet-up, be them senior citizens, LGBTQ+, or mother and baby groups. The local pub has played a vital role at the heart of communities for centuries and it is our responsibility to ensure it does so for generations to come.

Aside from the social benefits, the pub, brewing, and other related industries add £23 billion to the economy every year, playing a vital role in British industry, with 82% of beer sold in the UK being brewed here. The local pub supports tourism, as half of tourists in the UK visit a British pub as a ‘must-do’ attraction. Furthermore, the pub industry supports nearly 900,000 jobs, with 44% of those jobs held by 16-24 year olds.

The local pub has played a vital role at the heart of communities for centuries and it is our responsibility to ensure it does so for generations to come.

The Local Pub Needs Your Support

Supporters can sign the petition and publicans can order one of over 15,000 free in-pub activation kits including informative beer mats, posters and tent cards, as well as utilising a range of social and digital assets on websites and social media channels.

The campaign will comprise of creative online and in pub activation set to reach almost 20 million pub goers and industry staff. From mid-July, a programme of MP lobbying events will take place through to the budget and petition delivery to the HM Treasury in November. 

David Cunningham, Programme Director for “Long Live The Local”, said:

“Our campaign will show the positive role that local pubs play in our lives and remind people that pubs play a vital role in villages, towns and cities across the country. They are great places where a wide variety of life’s events – big and small – are played out making them a unique part of modern British culture and identity. We will, however, also raise awareness of the jeopardy our local pubs face from an unprecedented range of tax pressures contributing to three local pubs a day closing their doors for good.”

“This campaign is important and its success will not only help local pubs, but job security, the well being of the economy and most importantly local communities across the country. I encourage everyone who enjoys pubs to get involved in the campaign and join the cause to say no to the planned increases in beer tax and help secure the future of your local.”

 

*(Data and figures from the British Beer & Pub Association)