Responding to UK Chancellor’s announcement that beer duty will be frozen until February 2025 at today’s Budget, Paul Togneri of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association said:
“The extension of the freeze on beer duty to February 2025 will help towardskeeping the price of the pint affordable, which is good news for brewers, pubs, and consumers alike.
“The 2p cut in National Insurance contributions is also a boost for workers and which will hopefully encourage people to enjoy an extra trip to their local, but further support is still needed to protect businesses.
“It is disappointing that the Chancellor did not choose to go further with a cut in duty or reduction VAT for pubs and bars which would have helped the sector immensely. Both brewers and pubs face a cliff edge in April with spiraling wage costs and ongoing financial pressures, means than many much-loved community pubs will continue to struggle.
“Our sector is a critical part of the Scottish economy, our tourism offer and are a bedrock of local communities. However,2023 saw Scotland’s pubs close at twice the rate of those in England. Both the UK and Scottish Governments’ must look to address the disproportionate fiscal burden facing the industry moving forward or we’ll continue to see businesses close, and jobs lost in communities across the country.”
