British beer tax near top of Euro league

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news.ma/ViewArticle?R=83249

Ed, you're absolutely right about negativity but Karl's not being negative he's just pointing out the paucity of BBPA's position.

"A great British institution is under serious threat and yet the Government appears to be determined to ignore concerns expressed by consumers, the industry and politicians of all parties.” That statement could equally neatly pointed at the pubcos whose inability to get a grip on financial reality and moderate their rapacious greed for profit at the long term expense of the viability and sustainability of their own business model has brought the pub industry to its knees.

We live in a high tax economy. High tax economies are all swings and roundabouts about where the money comes from to fund the machinery of state responsibility. Revenue must be raised to pay for the state and in countries where alcohol duty is lower than here there are higher direct taxes placed on people than there is here.

Duty IS an issue in general but for tied pubs it is not THE issue; the systematic removal of profit from beer pump to boardroom IS.