Wednesday 6th March: A day for Big Beer
Wednesday 6th March was Budget Day. CAMRA and others had pushed for action to address the crisis in hospitality and in particular in this case pubs.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said he was backing pubs by freezing alcohol duty until February 2025 when it was due to rise by 3%.
Pubs are struggling with VAT (as Mr Spoon regularly reminds us supermarkets get a better deal) and business rates. Hunt did nothing.
The duty freeze benefits brewers, in particular Global Big Beer, and the large UK ‘regionals’ traditionally known as the Tory supporting Beerage. It will help their profits. It won’t mean cheaper beer in pubs.
Meanwhile a global brewer Asahi announced it was closing Meantime brewery in Greenwich and moving operations to Fullers in Chiswick. It had previously closed Dark Star in Sussex and moved brewing to Greenwich. Its what Big Beer does. Its focused on brands not the provenance of beer.
Asahi’s media statement was classic management speak (I’m an expert its part of my day job) but it may have hidden concerning news. It seems (not confirmed) that brewing staff at Meantime have been made redundant. Hmmm. Chiswick is not that far from Greenwich and jobs there would be considered suitable alternative employment under redundancy legislation. That is people should not be redundant if there is a suitable alternative in respect of location and skills.
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