BBPA warns on beer tax hike as study shows 1m employed by pubs

Pubs employ almost one million people in the UK and the beer and pub trade contributes over £21b to the UK economy every year.

That's the finding from experts Oxford Economics which has conducted a study for the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) to show the scale of the role the industry plays throughout Britain.

The BBPA said the results meant the Government had to think again about another rise in beer tax. The duty escalator means that duty on beer rises 2% above inflation - this year that could mean a rise of 7% in the price of beer.

The survey showed that the cities of London and Westminster had the most jobs dependent on the pub trade, at over 11,000. Meanwhile Bury St Edmunds, where Greene King is based, has the most jobs dependent on brewing at 2,186.

BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "These figures show what a huge impact beer and pubs have, especially in terms of local job. Beer is vital to the economy and pubs are the heart of our communities. The last thing local pubs and pubgoers need is a further beer tax hike in the Bidget next week, when instead we could be leading the economy out of recession and creating local jobs. The Government needs to think again."

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By Neil Gerrard

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