Candice Brown Delivers Petition to Downing Street
Publican Candice Brown has today delivered a petition of over 200,000 Brits to the Prime Minister’s front door, No. 10 Downing Street. The urgent plea calls on the Government to cut beer duty to help support UK pubs. It follows research that shows 5.7 million Brits1could lose their local pub in just five years if some of the financial pressures facing our pubs are not eased in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Great British Bake Off winner turned Publican, Candice Brown was joined by fellow publicans from across the UK to deliver the Long Live The Local petition to Downing Street. Together they hope to demonstrate just how important the local pub is to communities nationwide and show the significant role pubs play in British culture. Recent research shows that three quarters (72%) of Brits think pubs are important to local communities, whilst two thirds (67%) are adamant that pubs are vital to securing the future of the high street2.
According to recent research, half of (48%) Brits think that the Government should be doing more to support pubs. Currently, three pubs close their doors every day in the UK as a result of the financial pressures they are facing.
Candice Brown, publican of The Green Man, says:“I am at Downing Street today to stand up for something I firmly believe in – the local pub. A belief I share with over 200,000 people. Pubs need support from the government to survive and today we implore the Chancellor to cut beer duty to help keep pubs open and prevent communities from shouldering the social and cultural cost of losing them.”
David Cunningham, Programme Director for Long Live The Local, adds: “This is an issue close to many people’s hearts. We urge the Government to listen to the hundreds of thousands of Brits who have signed the petition already and cut Beer Duty at the next budget. Pubs are under increasing pressure. Action needs to be taken to help them & the communities they serve.”
For more information on Long Live The Local and to sign the petition, please visit here
