WIREDGOV

Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb yesterday (23 March) visited the iconic Brains Brewery to see how the cut in beer duty announced in the budget will help their business.

Last week the Chancellor announced a 1p cut in the price of a pint of beer, making the cost of a typical pint of beer now 9p cheaper than under the previous government’s duty plan.

The Centre of Economic and Business Research estimate there would be over a thousand fewer pubs if the government had not cut beer duty at the last two budgets.

Owned by the same family since it was founded in 1882, Brains Brewery employs more than 2,000 people in and around Cardiff.

More than 270 pubs, bars and hotels across Wales and the West of England serve Brains beer.

Stephen Crabb said:

The growing Welsh beer industry is one of the most exciting sectors in the country and Brains is one of its leaders. From humble beginnings in Cardiff it is now a genuine Welsh success story, employing thousands of people across Wales.

By cutting beer duty for the third year running, we are not only helping big companies like Brains, but also the innovative craft breweries that have been set up in recent years.

The cost of a pint is now 9p cheaper than if we had stuck with the previous government’s duty plan. That is good news for the industry and good news for the local pubs at the heart of Welsh communities.