In response to reports in The Telegraph, BBPA CEO, Emma McClarkin said:

"It is a huge relief that the idea of restricting pub hours has been quashed, as it suggested a fundamental misunderstanding about how people drink.

"As the Chancellor said, this budget will be about economic growth, so it's important to avoid baffling proposals that would not only ineffectively tackle an issue, but diminish the economy and put jobs at risk.

"The great British pub is at the heart of communities up and down the country who put their faith in Labour for the first time in a generation. We urge the party not to turn its back on them now they are in government and to honour those promises for the future survival of this vital industry."