BBPA to drop "Axe the Tax" message

Brigid Simmonds, the new British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) chief executive, has indicated the group is looking to "refine" its "Axe the Beer Tax" message to focus on something more realistic.

The Axe the Beer Tax - Save the Pub campaign was launched last November, with CAMRA, as part of a bid to persuade the government to reduce alcohol duty following further hikes in the Pre-Budget speech.

But Simmonds has admitted to The Publican​ it could be time for a re-think.

"Axe the Tax has been fantastically successful, but we are now asking whether we really going to axe the tax or whether there needs to be some sort of refinement," she said.

Last week MP John Grogan told an industry event that "Axe the Tax" "wasn't a slogan that was going to work anytime soon."

Responding to this, Simmonds said: "Going forward I do not disagree with John Grogan's comments. John's comments did not bother me at all."

Grogan also suggested focussing on getting a lower tax level on lower strength drinks, such as beer, could be a better option.

And Simmonds said this is likely to be the approach in future for the BBPA.

"The focus could be on beer being a drink of lower strength. I'm keen to pursue that. We'd like to refine the message to focus on something we are likely to achieve in the current climate," she said.

Simmonds will be speaking publicly for the first time as chief executive at the BBPA's Key Issues Forum in Stoke on Thursday.