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Brewer calls for all pubs to sell more local beers

BBC Anneli Baxter, general manager of the Loose Canon brewery in Abingdon and regional chair of SIBA, holding a pint of beer. She is wearing a black T-shirt with her brewery's branding. There are barrels stacked in rows behind her.BBC
Anneli Baxter said the proposed change would "make a massive difference" to brewers

An Oxfordshire brewer is calling for a change in the law to make all pubs sell at least one local guest beer.

Anneli Baxter, general manager of the Loose Cannon Brewery in Abingdon and regional chairwoman of the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA), said the proposed change would "make a massive difference" to independent brewers.

According to SIBA, the region has lost 18 breweries since the beginning of the year.

The government said it was working on "reforming business rates to level the playing field between the high street and online".

Oxford Town Hall in preparation for the 2024 edition of Oxford Beer and Cider Festival. A few workers are setting up the bar and casks in the middle of the hall. Two chandeliers are lit up on the ceiling.
SIBA hosted a regional competition as part of this year's Oxford CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival at the town hall

Ms Baxter said people "want to be able to drink a beer that is brewed within a 10-mile radius", which was not possible in a lot of pubs.

She said due to licences, bars often only sold beers from certain breweries which were not "the small independent breweries that are literally down the road from that pub".

"Currently in Abingdon, we can drive past eight pubs before we could make our first delivery," Ms Baxter said.

"If we could deliver one cask into those eight pubs, that would be a massive improvement to our yields, sales and efficiencies.

"Cask and keg beer is one of the most sustainable ways of drinking beer because they have years and years of life, so there is no wastage."

Alistair Ross from Oxford Brewery on the balcony at Oxford Town Hall. He is looking at the camera. Workers are setting up for the beer festival below.
Alistair Ross from Oxford Brewery in Horspath said the industry faced "incredibly difficult" challenges

SIBA said its BreweryTracker showed the Midlands, which now includes breweries previously counted under the West of England, had lost 18 since the beginning of the year.

The recent examples include the Wriggly Monkey Brewery in Bicester and the White Horse Brewery in Stanford In The Vale.

Alistair Ross from Oxford Brewery in Horspath called the challenges faced by small independent brewers "incredibly difficult".

"Utility costs have gone up by 300%, the costs of bottling, packaging - you name it, you're just constantly being pressurised," he said.

"The pubs you're selling into are equally under pressure and... a lot of pubs are now just open at four or five o'clock."

SIBA held its regional Independent Beer Awards at Oxford Town Hall, which hosted its 25th Oxford Beer and Cider Festival until Saturday evening.

Ms Baxter added the festival "gives the opportunity to try a small amount of beer without paying for a pint in a pub".

A view of a room at the town hall with people sitting on chairs at tables. There is a pint, half-full of beer, branded "Oxford Beer Festival 2024" on the glass.
Ms Baxter said people "want to be able to drink a beer that is brewed within a 10-mile radius" but often do not have that choice

A spokesperson for the Department of Business and Trade said it was important for it to act on the challenges facing pubs and independent breweries.

They said: "We’re working with the Hospitality Sector Council on how we can support small businesses to succeed, cracking down on late payments and reforming business rates to level the playing field between the high street and online".

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