BBPA: pubs crucial for employment and tax
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has outlined the crucial role of the sector in terms of employment and tax revenue for every local area in Britain.
It's part of a move to urge the Government to "think again" about plans for a 7% hike in tax on beer tax in the Budget on 23 March.
The study, by economy experts Oxford Economics for the BBPA, shows that the Cities of London & Westminster is the Parliamentary constituency with the most pub based jobs in Britain, with over 11,000 jobs dependent on the pub trade
The Suffolk constituency of Bury St Edmonds, home of Greene King, has the most brewing related employment — with 2,200 jobs dependent on the industry.
The new survey show the impact on jobs, wages, and the economy of Britain's brewing and pub trade, with information for every Parliamentary constituency in Britain.
Nationwide, the figures show that 980,000 people in the UK depend on beer and pubs for work; the beer and pub trade adds over £21 billion to the UK economy every year; and £13.4bn in UK wages are dependent on the trade annually.
BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "These figures show what a huge impact beer and pubs have, especially in terms of local jobs. 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 Budget next week, when instead we could be leading the economy out of recession and creating local jobs. The Government needs to think again."
