Britain's pub goers have given a resounding thumbs down to a mandatory retailing code on alcohol.
Over 7,000 contacted the Home Office via the British Beer and Pub Association's (BBPA) Axe the Beer Tax website to vote against the proposals.
The code, which will force pubs to follow conditions including curbs on drinks promotions and smaller drinks servings, could cost the trade £58m to implement with on-going annual costs of £38m. Councils will also have the right to impose harsher conditions on multiple venues.
Public opposition was also expressed at the regional workshops run by the Home Office. In Birmingham, only two of the 120 attendees agreed with the Code with more than 93% opposed. In the East of England event, 77% of attendees were against, and 70% in Wales.
The Local Government Association also recently voiced its oppositio claiming it "will penalise the vast majority of responsible on-trade retailers at a time when the industry cannot afford this".
"It is perfectly clear from the last few weeks that there is overwhelming opposition to the Mandatory Code, from the public, licensees and the wider industry, and now — it appears — from councils and others too," said BBPA chief executive David Long.
"For more than 7,000 members of the public to object to plans of this sort is unprecedented, and the Home Office must now listen to common sense and put a stop to this heavy-handed approach.
"The British beer and pub industry fully agrees with the need to end irresponsible promotions, and the police and local councils already have the powers to stop them. But we object to these unnecessary new burdens which will cost the industry millions of pounds to implement and will only result in even more pubs forced to close.
"More than 50 pubs are now closing every week across the country. It is time for the Government to begin to extend support to a valued British industry rather than heaping more and more pressure on it in these difficult times."