CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has urged the Government to change their plans to increase the amount of tax that small brewers across the UK will have to pay.
In a letter to Kemi Badenoch MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, the Campaign’s Chairman and Chief Executive laid out their concerns over the move to reduce the level of production at which small brewers receive the full level of tax relief – in order to allow larger brewers to pay less.
Nik Antona, CAMRA National Chairman, said:
“Small Brewers’ Relief has been instrumental in creating the brewing boom that we have seen over the past two decades and is vital to maintaining a thriving and diverse beer market, and choice for consumers.
“The news of these poorly considered reforms to the Small Brewers’ Relief Scheme could not come at a worse time for our small brewers, who are already facing financial uncertainty due to the coronavirus crisis.
“That’s why CAMRA is joining calls for the Government to rethink its plans to remove tax relief from the smallest brewers to allow larger brewers to pay less, and to publish more information about any other proposed changes to the scheme as soon as possible.”
Petition
Meanwhile both SIBA and CAMRA are encouraging members as individuals to sign the petition from brewers Anspach & Hobday on the CAMRA website or at this Parliament link https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/334066.
More Information
You can find out more about this campaign at https://camra.org.uk/beer-and-cider/campaigns/sbr/