Indie brewers launch election battle cry

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is launching its Manifesto for British Beer today (9 March), calling on prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs) to pledge their backing for the thriving local brewing sector and the thousands of jobs it supports.

SIBA’s manifesto sets out four key areas: supporting local brewers; backing community pubs; making beer tax work and maintaining and extending Small Breweries’ Relief. PPCs are being encouraged to sign up to the manifesto via a dedicated website. 

The manifesto sets out a compelling case for British beer, highlighting the contribution of independent brewers to their local economy, bringing investment and generating jobs, particularly among young adults. For every job created in brewing, a further 18 are created in pubs and three in supply industries such as agriculture.

Britain has around 1,500 independent brewers, who have led the brewing revolution of recent years with their interesting, innovative beers. With increasing numbers of beer drinkers developing a thirst for these beers, and actively seeking to support local brewers, they have proved a lifeline for many local pubs.

The manifesto also points to the benefits of the cuts in beer duty in 2013 and 2014, which gave Britain’s independent brewers the confidence to invest in their business and helped to keep down the cost of a pint, while also increasing beer duty receipts to the Exchequer. SIBA calls for fiscal support through the life of the next Parliament, to ensure British beer continues to thrive.

Finally, SIBA asks for Small Breweries’ Relief, which has helped many hundreds of brewers to start out over the last 13 years, to be extended so that more can benefit and invest the relief in building their business.

Mike Benner, SIBA managing director (pictured), says, “The growth of the British brewing sector means there is now at least one brewery in almost every constituency in the country, bringing investment and jobs to the area, creating great beers and supporting local pubs. 

“We are urging parliamentary candidates to back our manifesto and show support for our national drink and a great British manufacturing industry, which, with the right support from government, will continue to contribute to wealth and employment across the country.”

SIBA is hosting a reception for local PPCs on Thursday 19 March at its BeerX celebration of British beer in Sheffield.

PPCs are encouraged to back the Manifesto by visiting http://www.siba.co.uk/manifesto2015

*SIBA was founded in 1980 by 20 pioneering microbrewers. Today, it has around 800 full brewer members, the majority of them classed as "micro" or "local’"brewers. SIBA’s growing credibility and campaigning success – particularly achieving the introduction of Small Breweries’ Relief in 2002, and its role in the scrapping of the beer duty escalator in 2013 and consecutive cuts in beer duty in 2013 and 2014 – have established it as one of the most authoritative bodies in the brewing industry.