Pub industry calls for St George’s Day bank holiday worth £22.5m
The British Beer and Pub Association has estimated that making St George’s Day a bank holiday would result in an extra 5 million pints being sold and £22.5m more for pubs across England, backing the calls of Andrew Rosindell MP to extend bank holiday status to the celebrations.
Regardless of the bank holiday, thousands of people across England will be celebrating St George’s Day today with a pint of one of England’s world-leading beers in any of the country’s amazing pubs, whether in the countryside, high street or city centre. However, the British Beer and Pub Association has estimated the introduction of a bank holiday for the celebrations would increase beer sales for St George’s Day and its weekend by around 10%, worth £22.5m in additional revenue for pubs in England.
Their call mirrors that of Romford MP Andrew Rosindell, who last week called for the additional bank holiday in Parliament and has welcomed the BBPA’s support.
With brewing a traditional and valuable English (and British) industry, and pubs holding a sizeable position in English culture today and across the nation’s history, it would appear this sector is a natural part of any St George’s Day celebrations.
In fact, 2024 is a bumper year for anniversaries of some of England’s most historic and culturally influential breweries. Manchester-based Robinsons Brewery is celebrating 185 years of brewing, while three separate breweries spread across the country are all celebrating their 175th anniversaries this year.
Leicester’s Everards, Manchester’s Joseph Holt and the Cotswold’s Hook Norton Breweries will celebrate their long standing histories with celebrations throughout the year, evidence of a strong English tradition that has stood the test of time.
Not to be left behind, Bateman Brewery in Skegness will blow the candles out on their 150th anniversary cake this year too!
Brewing seems set to be a big part of England’s future also, with the recent introduction of no and low alcohol specialists like Days and Lucky Saint, right through to the continued investment in British brewing by the likes of European giants Heineken and Damm, the latter of which has just committed to investing £50m in the building of a state-of-the-art brewery in Bedford. This will be the first time a brewery outside of the Iberian Peninsula is to brew the company’s title beer Estrella, an exciting signal for the future of England’s brewing industry on the country’s national day.
Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford said:
“St George’s Day was once second only to Christmas for the food and drink led celebrations it facilitated across England, and there would be no better way for people to celebrate the day in 2024, and beyond, than with a pint at their local on a newly instated bank holiday weekend.
“Not only would making St George’s Day a bank holiday be a boost for the pubs at the heart of England’s local communities, it would also allow for a great celebration of our country and its heritage.”
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:
“St George’s Day has been celebrated in pubs across England for hundreds of years, a bank holiday that would not only provide an extra boost for publicans and brewers, but also grant the country a further opportunity to raise a pint in celebration of our shared cultural heritage, would be welcomed by industry.
“Pubs and brewers are a fundamental part in England’s past and present. This bank holiday would simultaneously help celebrate this fact, while also supporting a sector that is innovating towards an even brighter future in England and beyond.”