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'Price rise will add to pressures' warns pub chief

The Chairman of Northern-based pub company New Century Inns has warned that the industry is in a ‘fragile state’ and that the announcement in the Budget of rise in the duty on beer will only add to their difficulties.

Alistair Arkley, responding to the announcement by Chancellor Gordon Brown that beer will rise by a penny a pint from Sunday, with wine going up by five pence a bottle, said pubs were already facing tremendous pressures arising from Government legislation, including the forthcoming ban on smoking in public places.

Mr Arkley said: “On the face of it a penny a pint might not seem very significant but it is simply another pressure we could do without at a time when the industry is going through a pretty tough period. “The past couple of years have seen enormous changes in the legal framework within which we have to operate – all of which have increased the burdens on both pub companies and individual tenants. “We have had to cope with the impact of an entirely new licensing system, as well as other measures such as the introduction of new and more stringent fire regulations – and in July we face one of most fundamental changes in the culture of our industry with the introduction of the smoking ban. “At a time when it is a real battle to keep maintain the viability of pubs – and keep our customers happy at the same time – any increase in prices is unhelpful.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .