Camra gives lukewarm reaction to Government's measures to boost pubs
The Government's package of measures to support the beleaguered pub trade have been met with a lukewarm response from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).
Ash Corbett-Collins, chairman of the beer-drinkers' pressure group, branded the £10 million support package announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as 'short-term and shortsighted'.
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While welcome as a step in the right direction, Mr Corbett-Collins said ministers had failed to follow-through on its promises.
“This short-term announcement is not the ‘permanently lower business rates’ that pubs were promised," he said.
"While it is positive that the Chancellor has listened and announced extra discounts for pubs facing the threat of closure, it is short-sighted to think that today’s statement will give publicans the certainty they need."
"The plan to review the unfair way pubs are assessed for business rates is welcome, but still leaves pubs in the same situation as they have been for years - still facing a long wait for promised, and fundamental, reforms to make the system fairer."
Mr Corbett Collins said changes that would allow for longer opening hours and more relaxed planning rules would do little to help pubs which were struggling to remain open for the hours they already had.
"Letting pubs stay open for longer or extending their premises is not going to solve the fundamental problem where otherwise viable businesses face being taxed out of existence," he said.
"Licensees are already limiting their opening hours and can’t afford to invest in their buildings. The Government should fundamentally review the tax burden on pubs and independent breweries from things like VAT and alcohol duty to see if those systems can be made fairer, to give our locals a fighting chance against cheap supermarket alcohol.”
