Drinkers and pub-goers are being mobilised in their thousands to urge the chancellor to take action in his March Budget to save the UK’s pubs and breweries.

CAMRA is calling on chancellor Jeremy Hunt (pictured) to draw up a support package to save the UK’s pubs and breweries from having to call last orders for good.

The Campaign fears the trend of small breweries going out of business and pubs closing could explode if help isn’t announced this spring.

Businesses are being hit by the rising costs of goods and employing staff, help with energy bills being dramatically reduced from April, and customers continuing to tighten their belts.

Now CAMRA is mobilising pub-goers to call on MPs to back the campaign to save the nations’ locals.

CAMRA is calling on the chancellor to announce:

• a 20 per cent cut in duty charged on draught beer and cider to help pubs, social clubs and taprooms across Great Britain to compete with supermarket alcohol when the new system of alcohol taxation is introduced in August 2023
• an assurance that the amount of help hospitality businesses receive towards their energy bills will continue at its current level until spring 2024
• the introduction of a permanent lower business rates multiplier for hospitality businesses in England to recognise their community value – with funding for governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to do the same

CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said pubs and breweries are at the heart of our communities as they bring people together and tackle social isolation.

Nik said: “But many are under threat of closing for good due to the rising costs, spiralling energy bills and punters tightening their belts.

“If we want our pubs to survive and thrive in the months and years ahead, then the government needs to use the upcoming Budget to announce a support package to save our pubs and breweries.

“Without help, we risk losing our much-loved community pubs for good and face more small and independent breweries shutting up shop – reducing choice for drinkers up and down the country.”

Pub-goers are being urged to use CAMRA’s e-lobby tool, which quickly identifies your MP and provides a template letter urging them to back the campaign to save the nation’s pubs and breweries. The tool is available at: https://camra.e-activist.com/page/121106/action/1