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| Pub trade rolls out the barrel for Osborne's 'shock' beer duty cut | Pub trade rolls out the barrel for Osborne's 'shock' beer duty cut |
| (7 days later) | |
| Oliver Robinson, managing director of Robinsons brewery, has said he is shocked and delighted at the cut in beer duty, a measure he believed would boost jobs for young people in the struggling pub trade. | Oliver Robinson, managing director of Robinsons brewery, has said he is shocked and delighted at the cut in beer duty, a measure he believed would boost jobs for young people in the struggling pub trade. |
| "It is absolutely tremendous," he said. "This will make George Osborne the toast of the British pubs today. He has boosted jobs in British pubs and in our pubs." | "It is absolutely tremendous," he said. "This will make George Osborne the toast of the British pubs today. He has boosted jobs in British pubs and in our pubs." |
| Together with his cousin, William Robinson, who runs 360 tenanted pubs, Oliver Robinson recently took over as the sixth generation to run the family firm. | Together with his cousin, William Robinson, who runs 360 tenanted pubs, Oliver Robinson recently took over as the sixth generation to run the family firm. |
| In the 1950s and 60s, he said, the business, which is based in Stockport, had more than 30 pubs selling more than 1,000 barrels of beer a year. Today, despite initiatives such as using Iron Maiden branding for a new beer, just 3 sell that quantity. | In the 1950s and 60s, he said, the business, which is based in Stockport, had more than 30 pubs selling more than 1,000 barrels of beer a year. Today, despite initiatives such as using Iron Maiden branding for a new beer, just 3 sell that quantity. |
| "I believe this is the first beer duty cut since 1959," Robinson said. "We will encourage all our tenants to pass it on to customers." | "I believe this is the first beer duty cut since 1959," Robinson said. "We will encourage all our tenants to pass it on to customers." |
| The brewery boss had been among those lobbying the Treasury minister, Sajid Javid, in recent weeks, but had not been hopeful of securing an end to the duty escalator, so a cut in duty came as a shock. | The brewery boss had been among those lobbying the Treasury minister, Sajid Javid, in recent weeks, but had not been hopeful of securing an end to the duty escalator, so a cut in duty came as a shock. |
| He reminded the Treasury of the role the pub industry had to play in the battle to keep youth unemployment, currently at 21.2%, under control. He said: "A lot of pubs are already saying [to staff]: I don't need you any more, or I only need you for a few hours a week. That has a big impact on employment figures. The beer escalator would have cost jobs." | He reminded the Treasury of the role the pub industry had to play in the battle to keep youth unemployment, currently at 21.2%, under control. He said: "A lot of pubs are already saying [to staff]: I don't need you any more, or I only need you for a few hours a week. That has a big impact on employment figures. The beer escalator would have cost jobs." |
| The proposed reduction in national insurance for small businesses provided another cause for cheer in the pub industry, Robinson suggested, as many pub tenants are expected to benefit. | The proposed reduction in national insurance for small businesses provided another cause for cheer in the pub industry, Robinson suggested, as many pub tenants are expected to benefit. |
| The jubilant mood at the firm's recently upgraded Unicorn brewery, in Stockport, was in stark contrast to when the so-called duty escalator – committing the Treasury to five years of above-inflation rises – was introduced, under Labour. | The jubilant mood at the firm's recently upgraded Unicorn brewery, in Stockport, was in stark contrast to when the so-called duty escalator – committing the Treasury to five years of above-inflation rises – was introduced, under Labour. |
| "We encouraged our tenants to make clear Alistair Darling was barred from their pubs," Robinson recalled, with a laugh. "I think we put him on Pubwatch," he said – a reference to the co-operation scheme between publicans to alert them to potential problem customers. | "We encouraged our tenants to make clear Alistair Darling was barred from their pubs," Robinson recalled, with a laugh. "I think we put him on Pubwatch," he said – a reference to the co-operation scheme between publicans to alert them to potential problem customers. |
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