The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) chief executive Brigid Simmonds has called on the Labour Party to improve the situation for pubs across the country.
Speaking at a BBPA event in Manchester during the Labour Party Conference last week, Ms Simmonds called for the political opposition to cut VAT on food and to end the beer duty escalator.
The Morning Advertiser's Publican reports that Ms Simmonds wants the party to consider these issues when deciding their manifesto for the next general election.
She stated that across Europe most countries offer reduced rates of VAT on food and alcohol sold with food to boost tourism.
If the same happened in the UK, more jobs will be created as small pubs will feel less financial burden in terms of tax and will level the playing field with supermarkets, Ms Simmonds expanded.
Supermarkets currently have meal deals complete with alcohol that do not have VAT added, making them cheaper than eating out in a pub.
The BBPA has, so far, gathered 100,000 signatures against the beer duty escalator, which will be increased by the current coalition government, which Ms Simmonds hopes will fuel a debate in parliament.
She told senior politicians, including Jack Straw and Hazel Blears, that the escalator needs to go.
"The beer duty escalator is killing our industry and we need to do something to get rid of it," quotes the news provider.
"Unfortunately it was a Labour government that introduced the beer duty escalator and as a senior politician said to me the other day, when talking about air passenger duty, once it is introduced it is almost irresistible to put it up," Ms Simmonds concluded.
Hopefully, the opposition will take these suggestions on board as pubs are the most valued small business in the country.
Such was the finding of Santander Business Banking, which discovered that 47 per cent of the 2,031 people polled value their local pub above all other small businesses.
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