Axe the Beer Tax

Last week industry and consumer representatives joined forces to launch a campaign to save the Great British Pub.

Here in Warrington we know the pub industry is under severe and sustained pressure with a number of local pubs closing over the past few years. Sales of beer are now at their lowest in almost 40 years while the number of pubs closing has risen from two a week in 2005 to 36 a week today.

In what is an easy hit for the Chancellor, duty on beer now accounts for a third of the price of a pint and the accelerator announced in the 2008 budget will increase duty by a further 2% above inflation for each of the next four years.

So the British Beer & Pub Association and The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have joined forces with brewers from across the country to set out five demands to save the Great British Pub.

Last Orders - A five point plan to save the British pub can be downloaded by clicking on the title heading above.

You can also add your name to the growing list of supporters by visiting the campaign website at www.axethebeertax.com