Brentwood and Ongar MP Alex Burghart is championing a proposal to allow tenanted pubs to serve guest beers from small breweries, a move he says would support local businesses and encourage more people to visit their local pub.
The MP, who has been running a campaign urging constituents to drink a pint a week in their local pub, visited the Brentwood Brewing Company last week. There, he met with a representative from SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, who outlined the challenges facing small breweries.
Challenges Facing Small Breweries
According to the SIBA representative, small breweries often struggle to sell their beers because tenanted landlords are bound by agreements that exclude all but the largest producers from their taps. In free houses, large producers can lock landlords into exclusive purchasing agreements, further limiting access for smaller brewers.
The proposal, which Burghart plans to send to the minister, would change regulations to allow tenanted pubs to offer a guest beer alongside those from larger producers. Burghart described the idea as "good for small and local businesses" and a way to attract more customers to pubs.
Support for Local Breweries
Burghart highlighted that the profit on a pint is minimal once alcohol duty, taxes, and import costs are accounted for, making support for the industry crucial. He noted that the pub industry faces some of the harshest tax and regulation of any businesses worldwide.
The MP's campaign has taken him to many pubs across the constituency, where landlords have shared similar stories about the difficulties of operating in the current climate.
Next Steps
Burghart will forward the proposals to the minister and continue his tour of local pubs, with the hope that they will soon all be serving a locally brewed pint. He reiterated his call for residents to support their local pubs by drinking a pint a week.
