Gosport MP, Caroline Dinenage, has pledged her support for the ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign to help pubs and breweries in the Gosport constituency recover and thrive. Caroline support joins over 125,000 people across the country who have signed the petition so far, including 226 in Gosport alone.
The average UK pub generates £100,000 I’m economic benefit for its local community each year. Yet the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on brewers and pubs across the country and continues to do so as the sector tries to kickstart its recovery. With £1 in every £3 pounds spent in UK pubs going to the taxman, Government support in the form of lower VAT, Business Rates and an overall cut to beer duty can help pubs and their communities to recover.
This support would also boost Britain’s world class brewing sector, a homegrown manufacturing success story that brews over 80% of the beer we drink. There are two great breweries in the Gosport Constituency - Fallen Acorn and newcomer, Powder Monkey, housed in the former Priddy’s Hard Munitions Store, who would both benefit.
Commenting Caroline said:
“Breweries and pubs in the Gosport constituency not only offer important social hubs, they support 1065 jobs and contribute £27m to the local economy. But they need our help too. That’s why Long Live the Local is calling on the Government to lower VAT & Business Rates for pubs and an overall reduction in Beer Duty.”
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
"85% of pubs are based in community and rural areas, bringing jobs to the parts of the UK that need them most. They employ over 600,000 people, of which 43% are under 25. Cutting Business Rates, VAT and an overall reduction in Beer Duty would go a long way to helping pubs and brewers across Gosport that are desperately trying to recover. We are very grateful to Caroline Dinenage for her support for the Long Live the Local campaign, and hope that the Government listens to MPs across Parliament and the thousands of people across the country who are calling on the Chancellor to lower VAT & Business Rates for pubs and reduce Beer Duty overall.”
