As a regular patron of pubs myself and will continue to do all I can to help them which is why i’m supporting the Long Live the Local campaign, calling on the Chancellor to cut beer tax at this year’s Budget to support pubs in our local communities.

With £1 in every £3 pounds spent in UK pubs going to the taxman, British drinkers now pay 40% of all beer tax across the EU, but drink only 12% of the beer. Brewing and pubs in Tewkesbury supports 1272 jobs and contributes 30.1 to the local economy. In 2018 there were 62 pubs in Tewkesbury, but this is one fewer than 2017 and will continue to fall if we don’t protect pubs. In fact the UK is set to lose 10% of it’s pubs in the next five years.

I believe that pubs are vital parts of our communities, especially though not exclusively in rural areas, and I have always taken an interest in their survival and wellbeing. As well as campaigning for lower taxes, I have also taken a deep interest in the free-of-tie arrangements which pubs owned by the larger pub companies (pubcos) can now obtain.