Plan A ... Kaput, Plan B ... Just a Rapper, So Georgie ... Plan C?

You'd think that even the posh-boys in No 10 and No 11 couldn't be that deaf to the increasing chorus of national / international opinion that they should do something to stimulate growth in the UK economy ( Obama, IMF, IPRR, CBI, TUC, IOD ... the list goes on and on) ... but then again no.

Here's a totally pub-centric set of proposals:

1) Drop VAT to 5% for the hospitality industry

2) Scrap the Beer Duty Escalator

3) Forget Minimum Pricing

4) Regulate the Pubcos

5) Equalise Business Rates for pubs in line with other businesses





How the five point plan would help pubs ... and what you can do to help achieve these aims:

Jacques Borel, from the VAT Club reckons that a drop in VAT would create over 300,000 jobs (if you want a copy of the fact pack email: adam.pescod@wrbm.com) if you haven't signed the e-petition then do so now - click here

Scapping the Beer Duty Escalator would go a long way to protecting what the British Beer and Pub Association estimates are the 400,000+ jobs that rely on beer and its sale - if you haven't signed the e-petition then do so now - click here

Minimum Pricing won't solve the problem of alcohol abuse and will only further burden those on low incomes who enjoy alcohol "responsibly". If you haven't signed the e-petition then click here

Regulating the Pubcos to ensure that there is an equitable division of profit so that tenants can earn a living and invest in their businesses will help to further slow the demise of the Great British Pub - if you haven't contacted your MP regarding this matter then click here

Treat all tax payers equally as the HMRC mission statement says and stop the nonsense of rateable values for pubs being based on mythical market rents, fair maintainable trade and turnover. Challenge the Valuation Office at every opportunity ... way too many business rates petitions to choose from!

Pubs (and the brewing and hospitality industry in general) are huge wealth creators, employment providers and more importantly part of the social "glue" that keeps this country together ... on average a community pub contributes over £80,000 a year to its local economy according to the IPPR

To paraphrase JFK ... "ask not what your pubs can do for you ... but what you can do for your pubs ..." something we should be telling all our customers. Get them involved even if it's just based upon ruthless self-interest ... for them and you!