Ayrshire and Wigtownshire CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
Summer 2013
FR
EE
Volume 15, Issue 2
BEER DUTY ESCALATOR IS SCRAPPED This year’s budget saw an end to the hated beer duty escalator plus a surprise cut in beer duty of 1 penny, giving a huge vote of confidence in beer and pubs. Nearly half a billion pounds has been set aside to fund this duty reduction over the next couple of years. The last time beer tax went down was in 1959! This massive investment will mean fewer pub closures, fewer job losses and lower increases in the price of a pint. CAMRA’s submission to the Treasury and economic argument around this campaign showed that the beer duty escalator was a failing policy with the heavy increase in duty since 2008 causing a fall in beer duty revenue due to falling sales. This campaign win is a small step to get more people back into pubs and drinking real ale paying back the Government investment through beer and pubs market growth. We are delighted that both Heineken and Enterprise Inns immediately promised to pass on the penny duty cut to customers. The duty escalator remains in place for cider, wine and spirits meaning that regrettably real cider was
hit by a 5% duty increase. Our challenge now is to maintain our campaigning momentum and to ensure that Budget 2014 contains more good news. INSIDE THIS EDITION: Ayr Brewing Company Award ...................3 Pub of the Year Presentations ...............4/5 Ardrossan Accies Beer Festival...................7 Fife Beer Festival / Editorial.....................10 Focus on Arran..................................12/13 Ray’s Round Up.................................14/15 Outlets Map......................................18/19 OPINION: Cask vs Keg ........................20/21 Social Groups / Forthcoming Festivals .....22 Just For Fun ............................................23 Natural Landscapes ................................27 Committee / Outlets News / Diary ...........33 Ale Trails / Getting Around ......................34 OPINION: Ken More .................................35