I'm really surprised that no-one has highlighted this story.
Beer Tax Debate Heads To Parliament - Yahoo! News UK
While it doesn't affect me directly...I don't drink beer. I think it does have an impact on the economy...especially the local economy.
I'm sure that I have read that in Britain at the moment 30 pubs per week are closing because it is not profitable to sell beer.
Maybe the chancellor will be crying into his own beer when all the pubs close down.
Surely it would make better sense to cut the tax on beer sold in public houses and perhaps(I did say perhaps) raise the duty levied on beer sold in supermarkets.
A closed pub raises no revenue.....it also damages the local economy by the very fact that a local amenity is no longer available.....no work for the brewer, the publican, the barman/maid.....less electricty and gas used, no income tax paid...benefits required by those thrown out of work......it just does not make any economic sense.
Public houses are the place that most of us learn our debating skills.....make friends, meet out soulmate, have a bit of banter.
Those are my views. What do you think?