Speaking at the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s roundtable on assets of community value, Truscott Arms co-owner Mary-Jane Roberts Fishwick argued pubs are one of the most highly taxed sectors across the entire economy.
The event, hosted by the PMA and the Save the Pub Group, took place at ACV listed and community owned pub the Antwerp Arms in Tottenham and brought together leading voices from across both sides of the debate to discuss the value of ACVs.
Roberts-Fishwick said: “I’m not saying ditch the ACV because it’s all we’ve got, but it’s hard to take ACVs outside of the business viability of this vital sector. It’s regressive-the better you operate, the higher-quality ingredients you buy in, and the better employment you offer, the more you get taxed. Actually, I’d make more money if I flogged polystyrene boxed burgers and lower quality beer, that’s the reality of it.”
However, CAMRA head of public affairs Jonathan Mail argued nominating pubs as ACVs would get the government to sit up and take notice.
“ACVs are one way of the industry uniting and putting across the point that these are some of the best pubs in the country, they’re absolutely vital and actually the government needs to come and give better support to these pubs through a fairer tax regime.”
For more coverage of the PMA’s ACV roundtable, read the 12 November issue and online next week.