The campaign seeks to highlight that pubs employ over 500,000 people and the pub and beer industry adds £19bn a year to the UK economy to combat the lack of trade after the festive season.
CAMRA has issued free promotional packs to around 7,000 pubs across Britain to help raise the awareness of the campaign. The packs include posters featuring real pub staff and landlords from around the UK.
Beer duty freeze
It also calls on customers to support a freeze to beer duty in the 2014 Budget following the 1p cut in 2013 and the scrapping of the beer duty escalator – which added 2% above inflation to beer tax year-on-year.
It is the fourth monthly campaign CAMRA has organised in the past year as part of its campaign ‘to raise the profile of pub-going and increase the number of people using pubs regularly’.
All-year round
CAMRA chief executive Mike Benner said: “Pubs play an important part in the UK economy and need to be protected and supported.
“The best way people can help the pub industry is to use their local pub during January. Many of us only visit pubs over Christmas but if we want British pubs, which are such an important part of our economy and way of life, to survive then we need to support our local all year round.”
Eilidh Ferguson, who runs the Red Lion in Britwell Salome, Oxfordshire, and is featured in the campaign’s promotional pack, said: “After a manic Christmas period, there’s no better time to support your local. Your pub is always open and welcoming through busy and quiet times. We’re always here to lend an ear and would love to hear about your Christmas. Even if it’s just for a swift pint and one of our black pudding scotch eggs! What excuse do you need?”