Cumbrian pub owners urge government to scrap alcohol rate rise
There are fears it could send the price of some alcohols soaring
Last updated 1st Aug 2023
There are calls for the government to reverse new changes to the way alcohol is taxed.
From today, alcohol duty will be simplified to a system whereby the amount of tax on a drink will be determined by its alcohol content.
It replaces the current Alcohol Duty system, which consists of four separate taxes covering beer, cider, spirits, and wine.
Government ministers claim it will make the system "fairer" and more "responsive to new products entering the market," but pub owners are warning it could mean a big hit to consumers.
That's because it comes into effect on the same day as a freeze on alcohol duty has been lifted.
Alison Davis owns the spinners arms in Cummersdale, she said: "The last thing you want when you've got mortgage, utility and fuel price increases going on is to have something that just completely rocks the boat in a sense.
"It would be nice to have a certain amount of time where nothing is changing so we can just get back on track. I think it would have been helpful to put it off for a little while longer at least.
"You are looking at 40 to 50 pence going on a bottle of wine behind the bar, and there's obviously extra VAT having to go on that."
Meanwhile, the government has announced new measures today alongside the previously announced changes to alcohol duty, which they say will provide a boost to thousands of pubs.
They say the duty paid on drinks on tap in pubs will be "up to 11p lower than at the supermarket."
They say the changes are designed to help pubs compete on a level playing field with supermarkets.
It's been dubbed "The Brexit Pubs Guarantee".