Nigel Evans, Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley, will today debate the future of the British pubs with fellow MPs. Mr Evans, who serves as vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, secured the Westminster Hall Debate in order that the MPs had a forum in which to discuss all the issues and problems facing the pub industry. Mr Evans will call on the Minister for Pubs, John Healey MP, to stand and deliver on his promise to “have a deal on the table with a package of practical help in the next few weeks”. Mr Evans will highlight the APPG’s Community Pub Inquiry and its 17 recommendations and will touch on the effect of the “tie” on pubs. Speaking before the debate Mr Evans said, “The facts are simple and clear: - Since March 2008, 4,100 pubs have closed.
- Pubs have been closing at the rate of between 39 and 50 per week in the last three years.
- Beer sales are down by 16 million pints a day compared with 1979.
- Turnover on beer in the last 12 months alone is down £650 million.
- Beer duty has gone up 14% in real terms since 1997 yet spirits duty is down by 20% in the same period.
“The British pub is vital for tourism and for our communities – it is the hub and the heart of so many communities around the country. We have seen so much of the fabric of our way of life threatened in recent years – from post offices to village schools – so now is the time to make a stand and help the great British pub.” |