Beer and Pub Association calls for more support to help venues survive
23 pubs have permanently shut across Cornwall and the south west in six months, due to soaring costs
Thousands of UK pubs could be at risk of closing due to rising costs - according to the British Beer and Pub Association.
Data shows across Cornwall and the South West, 23 pubs were forced to permanently shut in six months due to the high energy prices and other costs.
Our on-going investigation into Cornwall's hospitality industry reveals more venues are struggling to survive this season and many are forced to close their doors for a few days each week.
The BBPA is now calling on the Government to use the Spring Budget to show it understands just how much pubs and breweries mean to their communities - and acknowledge the rising pressures the sector is facing.
Emma McClarkin, from the BBPA, told us: "A lot of tourists come back in the summer time, but of course the winter is always difficult in different parts of the country.
"Winter is difficult, particularly in Cornwall"
"We need to keep a pint affordable".
The BBPA are calling on the Chancellor to freeze duty rates, implement a significant increase in the discount for draft beer sold in pubs, and introduce the previously announced reduced rate for lower-strength beers from 1st August.
It comes after Oxford Economics modelling estimated on-trade beer sales will decline by 9% in 2023/4, and the equivalent of 288 million less pints being sold.
Emma described it as a "make-or-break moment" and is calling for support in the Spring Budget:
"We could lose two-thousand pubs and 25 thousand jobs"
"There is a lot at stake here. We desperately need to make our pubs profitable. We hope that we'll see a beer duty freeze that'll be a big part of that.
"We really need the government to beef up on those energy companies, making sure they have access to fair rates and that they're passing on the drop in wholesale energy prices".
You can sign their Long Live the Local petition here.
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