Rt Hon Rishi Sunak 

Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer 

Rt Hon Sir Ed Davey 

Dear party leaders,  

The British beer and pub sector is one of the most historical, culturally significant, economically successful and dynamic components of British identity, society, culture and economy, generating over 930,000 vital jobs in every part of the UK.  

This year is the 200th anniversary of the British pint measurement but, in fact, the origins of our industry stretch back a millennium and, as the sector embraces new technology and innovation to enhance brewing production, achieve Net Zero and transform the consumer experience, a High Street without a pub or a pub without beer remains unimaginable.  

But since the turn of this century a quarter of British pubs have closed permanently. There is no denying that natural attrition will be one reason. But our sector is among the highest taxed sectors in the economy. For every three pounds spent in a pub, one pound goes straight to the tax man. Pubs pay up to four times the business rates of other comparable businesses and until the urgent radical reform to business rates is implemented the current 75% relief in England is a lifeline without which many more pubs would close.  

The upcoming Euros Championships brings into sharp focus the extent to which beer remains over-taxed. British beer drinkers cheering on England and Scotland pay 54p duty per pint compared to German or Spanish fans paying less than 5p.¹ Combined with high costs such as energy, publicans currently only make an average 12p profit on the average £4.80 pint in the UK.  

Whilst there has been recognition and acknowledgement from successive governments on the important role that pubs and brewers play in our society, a step change is required to secure its future and to promote and celebrate such an intrinsic part of British life that brings combined economic, social, and cultural value to almost every community around the country.  

The beer and pub sector is special, but it does not need special favours - it needs fair recognition of its unique value. It is, therefore, imperative that the next government provides a sustainable and proportionate fiscal and regulatory framework that allows the sector to do what it does best; invest in our businesses and employees, embrace changing consumer taste and demands, and provide the community hubs that are the crucial and often invisible glue to social cohesion. 

It’s the Government’s responsibility to provide that framework, we can do the rest. 

Yours sincerely, 

Emma McClarkin OBE 

Chief Executive 

British Beer and Pub Association  

 

Nick Mackenzie  

CEO, Greene King  

Chairman, BBPA 

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Jonathan Adnams OBE, Chairman, Adnams  

Richard Anstee, Managing Director, Glamorgan Brewing Company 

Richard Archer, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Utopian Brewing 

George Arkell, Managing Director, Arkell’s Brewery 

Graeme Arnott, Director, Caledonian Heritable Ltd. 

Toby Bartholomew, Managing Director, Wadworth 

Stuart Bateman, Managing Director, George Bateman & Son Ltd 

Timothy Batham, Director, Daniel Batham & Son Ltd 

Richard Bailey, Chief Executive, Daniel Thwaites 

Luke Boase, Founder, and Emma Heal, Managing Director, Lucky Saint 

Keith Bott, Managing Director, Titanic Brewery 

Jon Bridge, Chief Executive, S. A. Brain & Company Ltd 

Mark Brown, Managing Director, Trust Inns  

Guillem Castella Gutzeit, General Manager and Director General, Damm 1876 Ltd UK 

Clive Chesser, Chief Executive, Punch Pubs & Co. 

James Clarke, Managing Director, Hook Norton Brewery 

Jason Clarke, Creative Director, Genius Brewing 

Tim Clay, Managing Director, Asahi UK Ltd 

Sue Cooper, Co-owner, Little Valley Brewing 

Mark Crowther, Chairman, Portobello Pub Company 

Lewis Cullen, Operations Director, Rosemount Taverns 

Paul Davies, Chief Executive, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company 

Tom Davies, Chief Executive, Brakspear 

Nick Davis, Founder, Hobsons Brewery 

Mark Derry, Non-executive Chairman, Heartwood Collection 

Nick Desai, Co-founder, Zerodegrees  

Tim Dewey, Chief Executive, Timothy Taylor’s & Co. Ltd 

Simon Dodd, Chief Executive, Young & Co.’s Brewery 

Hamish Elder, Company Chairman, Harvey’s Brewery 

Roy Ellis, Chief Executive, Mission Mars 

Simon Emeny, Chief Executive, Fuller Smith & Turner 

Ralph Findlay OBE, Group Chief Executive and Chair, C&C Group PLC 

Mike Francis, Managing Director, Felinfoel Brewery 

Catharina von Franck, Channel Growth Director GB, Diageo 

Mike Gammell, Co-Founder, Days Brewing 

Gavin George, Chief Executive, Laine Pub Company 

Kevin Georgel, Chief Executive, St Austell Brewery  

Julian Everard, Chairman, Everards of Leicestershire 

Kris Gumbrell, Executive Chairman, Brewhouse & Kitchen Ltd 

Boudewijn Haarsma, Managing Director, Heineken UK 

Jonathan Holden, Managing Director, Holdens Brewery Ltd 

John Hutson, Chief Executive, JD Wetherspoon 

Chris Jowsey, Chief Executive, Admiral Taverns Ltd 

Matt Kearsey, Managing Director, Hall and Woodhouse  

Richard Kershaw, Chief Executive, Joseph Holt 

Nicola Kitchener, Chief Executive, Gray & Sons 

Jonathan Lawson, Chief Executive, Liberation Group 

William Lees-Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees & Co 

Ian Lennox, Managing Director, Heron & Brearley 

Scott Macdonald, Managing Director, Lionhearth Group 

Jillian MacLean MBE, Founder and Chief Executive, Drake & Morgan 

Ed Martin, Director, ETM Group 

Adam Mayers, Managing Director, Hydes Brewery  

David McDowall, Chief Executive, Stonegate Group 

Andrew McKnight, Vice Chairman, Harviestoun Brewery 

Angus McMeeking, Director, Black Country Ales 

Tom McMullen and Heydon Mizon, Joint Managing Directors, McMullen & Sons Ltd 

Lawson Mountstevens, Managing Director, Star Pubs 

Jonathan Neame, Chief Executive, Shepherd Neame 

James Nye, Managing Director, Anglian Country Inns 

Emily Palmer Ramus, Chief Executive, Palmers Brewery 

Joe Parks, Chief Executive, Woodforde's Brewery 

Brian Perkins, President, Western Europe & CEO, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I 

Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, (Beer Division) and William Robinson, Managing Director (Pubs) Frederic Robinsons Brewery  

Ian Rogers, Managing Director, Renegade Brewery 

Dougal Sharp, Founder and Chief Executive, Innis & Gunn 

Edd Simpson, Managing Director, Ossett Brewery 

David Soley, Chairman & Chief Executive, Camerons Brewery Limited 

Steve Stewart, Founder and Managing Director, Stewart Brewing 

Scott Taylor, Director, Dorbiere Pub Group 

Rupert Thompson, Managing Director, Hogsback Brewery 

Nicholas Tucker, Chairman, Heavitree Brewery 

Ewan Venters OBE, Chief Executive, Artfarm 

Jitka Vlckova, Chief Executive, Budweiser Budvar UK Ltd 

Chris Ward, Director, Thomas Hardy Brewing and Packaging  

Sarah Weir, Managing Director, Albion & East 

Peter Wells, Chief Executive, Wells & Co  

Philip Whitehead, Managing Director, Molson Coors Western Europe 

Martin Wolstencroft, Chief Executive, ARC Inspirations  

Nic Wood, Director, Signature Group