Yorkshiremen rejoice! An increase in spirits duty was frozen at this year’s budget 2020. For the first time in 20 years duty increases for alcohol, including beer, cider and wine, will be scrapped.
When announcing the new budget Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “For only the second time in almost 20 years that is every single one of our alcohol duties frozen.”
If prices had risen in line with previous policy announcements it would have been forecast to rise 2.8 per cent. So, your standard 750ml bottle of mine would have cost 6p more and 70cl bottles of gin would have increased by 23p, according to the Wine and Spirits Association.
It was also announced that an increase in business rates discount from £1,000 to £5,000, which the Chancellor said would benefit 1,000 small pubs in the UK.
More pubs are closing than ever before in this country, and for a lot of them this will have saved their livelihood. Yorkshire people all know in a lot of towns and communities pubs are at the heart of it, not only do they serve the community their favourite beverages, but with bbqs, sports and other local events they serve as a stronghold to the community.
With charities like Save The Local petitioning to keep the humble pub alive, this sign of hope is hopefully just a small step in helping the landlords of the UK. We’ll drink to that!
[Featured image: Unsplash]
