Enterprise Inns chief executive attacks UK government
Ted Tuppen, the chief executive of Enterprise Inns, has today attacked the UK government after a £4.3 million funding package was announced to help community pubs which have been struggling for some time. Coming just weeks before a general election there is no doubt that the announcement by the Minister for pubs, John Healy, smacks of political shenanigans however Ted Tuppen also has other concerns.
He rightly points out that Enterprise Inns spent around £20 million last year helping licensees who are in trouble and when you compare this to the £160 million increase in beer duty announced by the government just last week, the £4.3 million extra funding for community pubs pales into insignificance. However, as we approach the next general election the £4.3 million injection into the sector has grabbed headlines despite the fact that many people may not fully understand what is going on under the surface.
The introduction of new taxes, tax increases and more and more red tape has strangled many community pubs in the UK with literally dozens closing each and every week up and down the country. While the £4.3 million funding announced by the government will no doubt allow some community pubs to stay open in the short term, the long-term future of the UK pub industry is still very difficult to say the least.
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