The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is predicting that home fans will buy TEN MILLION extra pints at the pub during the semi-final World Cup match against Croatia, as they cheer on the England team. The extra number of pints bought during the knockout stage match could provide a boost to the economy of up to £30 million. The Great British pub will be one of the main benefactors of a surge in demand for beer as fans cheer on the England team against Croatia at their local, which will take place on Wednesday 11thJuly at 7pm. The taxman will be cheering the loudest when England play Croatia. Counting receipts from beer sales, the Chancellor could get an additional windfall as high as £4.5 million from beer drinkers and pub-goers watching the match. The BBPA had predicted that during the group stages of the World Cup, England fans would purchase up to 16 million extra pints while watching England in their games against Tunisia, Panama and Belgium. It also predicted that England fans would purchase up to 6 million extra pints during the last 16 match against Colombia, and 8 million extra pints during the quarter-final game against Sweden. BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds comments: “When it comes to watching the World Cup, only being at the game itself can compare with being in the pub. With the England team doing us proud and progressing through the knockout stages of the tournament, fans will continue to pack out their local to cheer on the boys. It’s fantastic news for both English football and the Great British pub!”
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has today responded to proposals from PPL for fee rises to its Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) Tariff, which covers the playing of music at discos in pubs and nightclubs. Commenting on the fee proposals, BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds said: “We are extremely disappointed that PPL are proposing such eye-watering increases to their Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) tariff which covers pubs, clubs and other venues that put on discos and DJ events for customers. A 450% increase in the tariff (from 3.8p per person per hour, to 22p per person per hour) on top of proposed structural changes that could more than double this figure, will simply not be viable for many licensees at a time when pubs are already facing major cost pressures in terms of increasing taxes and other regulatory costs. Whilst we welcome discussions on ensuring fairness and clarity in how the tariff is calculated and if improvements can be made to deliver this, we believe that these discussions must take place first and any impact considered further before there are proposals for cost increases. “As PPL note in the consultation document, the SFE tariff is already increased annually by the Retail Price Index (RPI). Of course, RPI itself is now a discredited measure of inflation, but the use of this measure will have seen the SFE tariff increase by over 50% since 2003. This is compared to a 38% increase in the Consumer Price Index, the official measure of inflation, during this period. We are grateful for the dialogue and engagement we have had with PPL on this issue over the last year, but see no justification for further increases in the tariff at this time and we will be responding accordingly.”
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has welcomed the return of the Great British High Streets Competition for 2018, which shines the light on Britain’s best high streets and their vital contribution to the soul and economic viability of towns and cities across the UK. The BBPA has been a member of the Governments High Streets forum since 2014 and Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the BBPA, has been a judge for all four previous Great British High Street competitions. Although celebrating the UK’s high streets is important, the BBPA believes that pubs on the high street pay a disproportionate amount of business rates. BBPA figures indicate that pubs pay 2.8% of the total business rates bill, yet only account for 0.5% of total rateable turnover. This is an overpayment, relative to turnover, of £500 million. With many retailers closing their stores, the leisure offer of the high street – in particular pubs – has become increasingly important for driving footfall back to the UK’s high streets. The BBPA knows that pubs, which are the beating heart of their local communities already, can play a key role in driving footfall back to the high street. The BBPA is clear that business rates need to be reviewed and a new, fairer way to tax businesses as an alternative to a property tax needs to be developed. Whilst the Treasury remains committed to a finite sum to be collected through business rates, pubs and other businesses still standing on the high street will have to pay more to meet the shortfall. This is unfair and adds further pressure on high street businesses. BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds commented: “The high street is an important part of any town or city in the UK and the Great British high streets competition is a fantastic way to celebrate this. We would urge high streets up and down the country to enter the competition. Our experience from previous years makes clear that local leadership, partnerships, events and an understanding of their local market really can make a difference. “However, with consumer spending on the high street down, and many choosing to do their shopping online instead, pubs and the wider hospitality industry are more important to the prosperity of our high streets than ever before. Currently pubs shoulder an unfair business rates burden and they need support from the Government. This means creating a more level playing field, whereby online retailers pay a fairer share of the total rates.”
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