Shropshire Star comment: Pub trade facing a challenge
Shropshire bucks so many trends. It is highly entrepreneurial, creative and hard-working. The county continually punches above its weight across many business and community sectors.
Though there are many examples of success – from sport teams to cultural clubs, from small start-up businesses to well-run farms – local pubs stand out. A warm welcome, a decent pint and a pleasing plate of food is on offer at most outlets. It is important to create context for that achievement.
Across the UK, the pub trade has been hit as competition from other leisure attractions, low-priced alcohol at supermarkets and punitive rent, rates and taxes affect their profitability.
And yet many rural pubs in Shropshire and Mid Wales have continued to thrive. In towns like Bishop’s Castle or tiny hamlets around the region there are exceptional hostelries offering brilliant food, well-kept real ale and an abundance of hospitality.
The Pheasant at Neenton, is a classic example. Saved by the community after being closed for seven years, the pub has a local population of just 140 people. And yet such is the goodwill behind it that it attracts people from far and wide who are determined to keep it going. It is owned by the community, provides an important meeting point and has standards as high as larger establishments. There are similar examples in the county of success against all odds.
But such pubs face a new challenge if beer duty is increased. The pub industry is worth more than £100 million in the county but will suffer once more as margins are cut. It is a setback that local landlords can ill afford and in some cases, it could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Too often, the Exchequer only looks at the bottom line as it seeks to squeeze more money from businesses. It fails to factor into its calculations the human cost of new rules, regulations and taxes. And taking a few per cent here and there from pubs that operate on the most slender of margins might be enough to push some out of business.
A thriving pub industry and our superb local breweries are an important part of our economy and the Government must take care to ensure it does not make life unnecessarily difficult.
