Punters cheer ‘Christmas is back on’ as pints stay the same price – with thousands of pubs saved from closing
DELIGHTED landlords and landladies at boozers all over Britain today gave three cheers to The Sun.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt acknowledged our brilliant Save Our Sups campaign in decided to FREEZE alcohold duty and keep a 75% cut in business rates for an extra year.
Experts believe those two moves to help the hospitality industry could save 10,000 pubs, clubs and hotels from closure.
This afternoon landlord Steven Rowland, who featured in our SOS campaign said: “Christmas is back ON thanks to The Sun.”
His South London the Park Tavern in Wandsworth boozer faced December party cancellations if alcohol tax had been hiked.
Steven, 33, who employs seven staff, said the business rates freeze is also a lifeline.
He said: “Christmas is back on again now. We’re all relieved. If duty had gone up, we’d have had to put our prices up and would have been looking at cancellations for Christmas parties.
“We’d already lost some locals in February when we had to put prices up by 30p-a-pint, so another increase would have lost more more customers at our more important time of year.
“But now the drinks will be flowing. We’ll keep our order of 40 kegs of beer a week for Christmas, while we expect to sell around 100 bottles of wine a week.
“The business rates freeze is also crucial. Pub chains might have been be able to absorb the extra costs, but we couldn’t have done. We are an independent pub. It’s just us, so we’d have had to increase prices.
“Wages going up will cost us more, but the tax and business rates are the big wins today.
“We’re raising a drink to the Chancellor and it’s also well done, my Sun. Three cheers for The Sun.
“It’s important the paper’s campaign raised awareness of the costs pubs face, and their importance to communities across the country. Remember, in some communities, pubs literally are the community.”
And landlord who almost went bust toasted The Sun for getting alcohol duty frozen.
Brian Ogden, 61, of the Butchers Arms, Bishop’s Itchington, Warks, had to offload his pub to bar chain Punch as takings plunged after Covid.
In his Autumn Statement Jeremy Hunt announced:
- The biggest ever price hike for tobacco products
- A major win for The Sun’s Save Our Sups campaign with alcohol duty frozen
- A major benefit change for renters on Universal Credit
- A £10,000 energy bill discount for Brits living near pylons
- A £350 income boost for self-employed workers
- A £470 payment boost for millions on Universal Credit
- Millions will be stripped of benefits under harsh new rules
- Nurses will save £500 in a personal income tax cut
- No fuel duty hike in huge relief for drivers
He said the alcohol tax freeze will prevent many boozers from going under, but warned the wage hike to £11.44 for over-21s and £8.60 for 18-20-year-olds may trigger lay-offs in April.
Brian, who runs the pub with wife Selena, 50, said: “Thanks to The Sun. It’s The Sun wot won it!
“The paper’s campaign made the government aware of what our pubs need and the Chancellor took heed of it.
“The main thing for us is the duty being frozen. It would have been a nightmare if it had gone up. Customers would have cut back as they can’t just afford to pay more and more for drinks.”
He added that “many pubs would have shut, making a bad year much worse”.
‘GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS’
Brian continued: “So the Government has listened and is protecting communities by protecting pubs. We’ll have a better Christmas now.
“But there’s good news and bad news, as the minimum wage increase in April means we’ll probably have to cut staff then.
“We basically keep our village’s young people in work as we employ 20 staff, all local.
“Five work at the bar and 15 in the kitchen. We want to give people jobs and would feel bad cutting staff. But we’d obviously have increased costs. The minimum wage going up means more money laid out.”
Clive Chesser, Punch Pubs & Co. CEO, said: “We are pleased that the Chancellor has clearly listened, with the Government again recognising the vital contribution that pubs make to the UK’s economic and social fibre.
“The welcome announcements on alcohol duty and business rates will provide a positive stimulus as we continue to bring communities together, drive investment in jobs, and strengthen our status as a creator of real growth throughout the nation.
“A strong and sustainable economic recovery rests on the foundations of a robust and reinvigorated hospitality industry. It is imperative that we all continue to work together to protect our local pubs and the wider hospitality sector after an unrelenting period of pressure.”