Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
#1
I saw this letter hanging over a bar in a local pub yesterday and just thought you may like to read it.
Dear valued customers.
The chancellor has increased alcohol duty by 2% and as a result the price of drinks in our lovely pub will again increase by 10P.
It concerns all good responsible pub operators that the Chacellor is using decent people who enjoy socialising in pubs as a cash cow.
Although VAT was reduced from 17.5% to 15% on Dec 1st 2008 the Chancellor didn't want pub-goers to benefit because he increased duty by 8% to compensate, and that was on top of a whopping 9% duty increase in the March 2008 budget.
By treating pub-goers as an endless source of revenue, this government is destroying an ancient British institution which is the envy of the world. Duty and VAT increases disproportionately penalise pubs, where people drink in a socially responsible and controlled environment.
Most estimates see another 7.500 pubs in this country closing forever in the next two years. when a community loses its pub, it loses its soul.
I'll leve it to a Frenchman, who sums up the situation wonderfully.
"When you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves for you will have lost the last of England" Hillaire Belloc 1912.
Thank you for your understanding.
On the other page is a picture of a pint with a scale on it and it reads from the top down.
The average price of a pint of bitter in Britain is £2.58.
This is where the money goes.
Duty. 45.75p
VAT at 15% is 34p
What the pub pays the PubCo. 121p
Staff wages. 9p
Rent,Rates. 23.5p
Variable costs-utilities,insurances,laundry,depreciation. 12p
Net profit before tax. 12.5p
END of letter.
Well what do you all think?
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
seems obvious that the days of the pub are over, they have tried everything over the last 20/30 years.
coffee and tea on demand, pub grub, big screen sport, karaoke, not much else they could have tried.
tax and duty on beer has always been a good source of revenue for governments, add to this greedy brewers charging the pubs over the odds, the result is in front of us now.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#3
From the noise you were making yesterday Ian as you came thru the station with all the other rugby friends,the cost of a few (quite a few) drinks didn't seem to put you off.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 668- Registered: 13 Apr 2008
- Posts: 91
#4
The government seems to view alcohol and pubs as the root of all evil, stop people getting drunk and you fix to a large percentage of crime! I tend to think pubs are a valuable meeting place for us brits, without them we'll all get home from work and lock ourselves up in our private castles until the next day without any reasoned conversation and release valves!
We need a culture change in this country, people need to realise that drinking doesn't need to end with double vision, a kebab and some kind of violence, but that change shouldn't be started by our nanny state!
*HICK*
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
#5
Thanks for that John and it was nice to see you. The cost of a few drinks did not put me off and the point is you don't know where they came from. I'm not that stupid to pay the full price.
Good point there Chris, tar feather and brush come to mind.
I and others ( 45.000 I heard ) had a great day and not a single problem, even with Barry W's young boy in tow. Got to Dover and did another two pubs. home and bed.
A GREAT shame the Navy lost 50-7 but even the matalots thanked for our being there.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 664- Registered: 23 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,039
#6
Belloc was onto something.
On that score, has the White Horse bolted for good? Anyone?
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
#7
The only problem with the demon drink is that the streaker Ian kept going on about has turned out to be male.
But apart from that it was a hell of a day out.
beer the food of the gods
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
#8
Ian, called out to you as you left the Williams abode yesterday morning but you didn't hear.
Andrew, just for a month. Blakes is nearby!
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
#9
I think that there is a North/South divide when it comes to pub prices. I am from Manchester but have lived in Dover for 37 years. I was up in Manchester last June and John Smiths bitter was £1.30p in a couple of pubs that I used in Ashton under Lyne, just out side of Manchester. It was £2.60 in my local pub in Whitfield, twice the price.
This cannot be blamed on Council Tax etc. as they are the same up there as down here. I did use other pubs in and around Manchester where I did pay a bit more but nothing like Dover prices. So why the doubling of prices.?
Alec.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#10
Petrol is dearer here than most other places too; it's not as if we're all rich down here and can afford the higher prices.
Roger
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#11
I can never understand these price differences in different areas. Surely things like petrol and cigarettes and tobacco should be the same price wherever you buy it, specially in a smallish area like Kent. We always fill up in Canterbury because it's cheaper and while we're there we do our shopping as well so Dover loses out.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Terry Nunn- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
#12
I watched Martin Clunes on ITV1 last night visiting the Scottish islands. It made me wonder what the price of petrol was there.
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 664- Registered: 23 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,039
#13
Pleased to hear the Horse is coming back.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#14
Andrew The White Horse re-opened its doors yesterday at 1 o'clock, I was there with Jan and PaulB and Nigel was propping up the bar
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#15
thats good to know.