Covid: Elliot Colburn backs 'life line' for pubs

Carshalton and Wallington MP Elliot Colburn has joined more than 70 Conservative MP's to call on the Chancellor to lower the duty.

The plan, which would see pubs pay lower duty on draught beer than paid by supermarkets on bottles and cans, would target support to Britain’s pub trade.

Keith Bott, of Society of Independent Brewers, who is coordinating the campaign has thanked Elliot Colburn for backing the call.

“I would like to thank Elliot for giving his support to Britain’s pubs and breweries by backing a Draught Beer Duty cut," said Keith Bott, owner of Titanic Brewery & former Chair of SIBA.

“This has been an extremely difficult year, and with the extra costs of being Covid safe, many pubs are facing an uncertain future.

“Cutting duty on draught beer will get support into the hands of publicans and brewers and allow them to survive and invest in their futures.”

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Speaking to Sutton Guardian, Elliot Colburn said: “Britain’s pubs are so important to our communities but have suffered very badly during lockdown.

“While supermarkets have been trading healthily throughout the pandemic, pubs have been forced to close and must adopt many expensive measures to keep the public Covid safe on reopening.

“I’ve been in regular contact throughout the last year with our local pubs and publicans, as well as with our fantastic independent breweries Signal and Anspach & Hobday, and the larger pub chains, and I know just how important it is for us to continue to support them as we emerge from lockdown.

“Because 98 per cent of all beer drunk in pubs is brewed in Britain, and beer accounts for almost half of all drinks they sell, cutting duty on draught beer would target help and support to pubs.

“I’m looking forward to enjoying a pint with my team in our local pubs as soon as we can, and I would urge everyone to get out and enjoy a pint of great British beer in their local community pub.”