‘Drink toast to end of beer tax’

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) is to launch its Community Pubs Month in April, encouraging the promotion of local hostelries.

The group hailed the Budget decision to scrap a beer duty escalator and cut the price of a pint by 1p as a new beginning for British pubs and the brewing industry.

Camra chief executive Mike Benner said: “The Chancellor has become the toast of Britain’s cash-strapped beer drinkers and we should now be paying around 10p less per pub pint than they would have been had the escalator remained in place in last week’s Budget.

“This is a massive victory for Britain’s 15 million beer drinkers and we are urging people to celebrate in their local throughout Community Pubs Month.”