CAMRA urges beer drinkers to add an extra pint to help boost industry performance

BEER drinkers in the Midlands buying just one extra pint a month in the pub would be all that it takes to push the British beer industry back into growth after years of steady decline, lobby group CAMRA has said.

CAMRA, which is using the Great British Beer Festival, to highlight its campaign, said that 38% of pub goers were visiting the pub less often than they did 12 months ago and that beer sales are suffering – despite real ale out-performing the rest of the market – with the total volume of beer sold in the UK during 2012 standing at around 7.8m pints, compared to more than 8.2m in 2011 and over 8.4m in 2010.

The pressure group said the effect was clear to see, with 26 pubs a week now closing in the UK.

However, it said it would not take much to tip the scales the other way and push one of the West Midlands’ most important industries back into growth.

Mike Benner, CAMRA Chief Executive, said: “Around 32m people in the UK enjoy a beer at least once a year, but the number of people drinking in pubs has been on the decline, contributing to an overall fall in beer sales. But with the price of a pint getting a much needed duty cut in this year’s budget there’s never been a better time to get down the pub. Just a pint a month extra is all it would take.

CAMRA’s call to arms for British beer drinkers is in support of the national, cross-industry ‘Let There Be Beer’ campaign, which aims to get more Brits drinking beer.

“Real Ale is a low strength drink that, in the main, can only be enjoyed in the sociable and responsible environment of the Great British Pub. Plus with more styles and varieties of Real Ale available than ever before, thanks to an ever growing number of breweries across the UK, there has never been more choice for drinkers,” added Benner.

Many brewers from the region are currently exhibiting their products at the beer festival. They are among 400 real ales on offer to the thousands of people expected to attend the London event, which ends on Saturday.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close