BBPA insists on leader summit to tackle cost crisis

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has written to Conservative Party leadership hopefuls Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to insist they convene a summit with business leaders to save pubs and other hospitality venues from closure, should they become prime minister.

In the face of rising energy bills, staff shortages and cost-of-living crisis, the trade association has written to both candidates to call for a roundtable of business leaders to be convened at the earliest opportunity to ensure there is a plan for tackling the cost of doing business and a long-term strategy in place for hospitality.

The letter comes shortly after leaders from across hospitality and the night-time industries called on government to take immediate action on rising energy bills by introducing an energy cap for small businesses.

Many pubs and bars have seen their energy bills double since April 2022, with some predicting extra costs of up to £60,000 by the end of the year. 

The BBPA's letter warns how the next few months are likely to be more critical for the industry than periods of closures throughout 2020 and 2021.

“Our sector hangs in the balance, rising energy bills are crippling pubs across the country with only one in three turning a profit and that figure is only likely to worsen as winter approaches," says Emma McClarkin, CEO of the BBPA. "The situation is dire, what we are experiencing now is arguably worse than the pandemic because we are receiving absolutely no relief on out-of-control energy costs.

“We need urgent action from the government to save businesses and jobs in communities across the country, but we also need a long-term plan to ensure the health of the hospitality sector so it can continue to support the economic and social fabric of our country.”

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