British pub week support

At the launch of British Pub Week, local MEP Paul Nuttall has urged the government to step in to help the industry.

“Pubs are local parliaments and are a very important part of our society. Once the traditional pubs have gone they will never return,” said Mr Nuttall, UKIP Deputy Leader.

“There is no simple answer but it is certainly time to re-think the smoking ban. The political powers of this country dealt pubs an absolute hammer blow four years ago with the total smoking ban. It has taken 20% off pub takings.

“Across Northern Europe common sense is prevailing and pubs and restaurants are now allowed to provide a separate smoking room. This is exactly what should be happening here, it would make such a difference,” said Mr Nuttall.

“UKIP is the only major political party involved in fighting to save the British pub and this week at the launch of British Pub Week we put our views to pubs minister Bob Neill about the smoking ban, beer duty, and supermarkets.

‘When George Osborne stood up at the budget and said he had no plans to increase beer duties he meant he had no plans to increase beer duties above what Alistair Darling had already given us. So the budget put another 15p on a pint.

“I think the campaign to take VAT down to 5% in pubs would actually help government revenue, not hurt government revenue, because with forty pubs a week closing, closed pubs pay no tax at all.

“And there is no doubt that supermarkets have played a role in the demise of pubs. We want the government to get supermarkets round the table and ask them to play fairly.

“In many cases they are actually selling alcohol below even the level of duty, and it’s making it virtually impossible for the pubs to compete,” said Mr Nuttall.

British Pub Week runs from October 28 – Nov 6.

Cheap beer welcomed

Local UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall has welcomed a new rule leading to the introduction of tax busting beers.

From this weekend (Oct 1) beers with less than 2.8 per cent alcohol by volume will be taxed less, leading to possible savings of 50p for some drinks.

“With pubs still continuing to close at an alarming rate this can only be good news for the licensed trade,” said Mr Nuttall.

“This is also a positive move towards tackling to excess drinking by young people. Many do not realise just how powerful some beers are and what harm they can do to their health. Encouraging them to drink lower strength beer can only be good.

“I was pleased to learn that beer experts have been unable to differentiate in taste tests between low and mid-strength real ales.

“UKIP has long been fighting the corner of the beleaguered pub trade and we will continue to do all we can to help save the great British pub,” added Mr Nuttall.

UKIP pledges support for British Pub Week

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) has become the first political party to pledge its support to British Pub Week.

British Pub Week is aimed at promoting the benefits of the Great British pub and uniting the industry.

Now in its third year, it will run from Friday 28 October to Sunday 6 November.

“We are delighted to be involved with British Pub Week,” said UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

“UKIP believes that pubs are the hub of our communities. UKIP are the only British Political Party who believes that pubs are worthy of saving and we have produced an in depth manifesto on pubs that recognise the importance of the pub industry to the country.”

Inez Ward, chair of British Pub Week, added: “We are pleased to have the full party support of UKIP and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support.

“We are hopeful that other parties would like to follow the lead of UKIP, pubs are important to communities and for social cohesion, are of a benefit to the national economy and tourism and deserve cross party support.”

• Pubs can register their details for free at www.useyourlocal.com/british-pub-week. Interested suppliers and pubcos should email neilr@bii.org or info@justiceforlicensees.org.uk .

Source: The Morning Advertiser

Rovers Return no more?

Traditional pubs, like Coronation Street’s ‘Rovers Return’, face a doubtful future, warned MEP Paul Nuttall today.

“We all know that the pub trade is in dire straits and a new survey shows that the traditional Northern boozer could be an endangered species.

“It reveals that 45% of the country’s licensees have reported a fall in sales in the last year and while it shows that the rate of closure has declined, 25 pubs are still closing each week.

“That is such an on-going tragedy for the local communities and for the lost jobs and revenue,” said Mr Nuttall, UKIP MEP for the North West.

The survey by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels found that traditional, non-food serving public houses continue to suffer, with 66% reporting a fall in sales over the last 12 months, compared with 63% of food-led pubs, which experienced a rise in sales.

“Pubs in the South outperformed those in the North and I fear for our traditional boozer which has played such an important role in both urban and rural communities,” said Mr Nuttall.

“It seems likely that public houses which offer food will continue to perform much better than traditional alcohol-only pubs. The loss of such pubs – just like Granada TV’s Rovers Return – must be halted, for once they have gone they will not return.

“Gastro-pubs have their place in today’s society but many people going out for a drink don’t want to be feel they are more in a restaurant than a pub. There is room for both types but the government must do more to help save the industry, such as a change in VAT rules,” said Mr Nuttall.

He is particularly interested in the subject and recently produced an in-depth report entitled – ‘Last Orders? The decline of the Great British pub’. Among it recommendation is a Royal Commission to investigate the pub industry.

Uncertain future for empty village pub near Lincoln

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