Christmas pint helps support 53,000 jobs in Wales

A Christmas pint at the local pub helps support 53,000 local jobs in breweries, bars and supply chains which pay £665 million in wages and contribute £1.2 billion to the economy, data has revealed.

The Welsh Beer and Pub Association (WBPA)’s Long Live the Local campaign launched this month to shine a light on the nearly one million people behind the pint who make the festive season merry.

As Welsh pubgoers raise a local brew, they support thousands of jobs across the country: including farmers growing hops, brewers developing new recipes, scientists working on quality control and logistics teams managing deliveries.

Heart of the community

The people behind the campaign say that the local pub is often the heart of community life and a major source of local employment and economic growth.

Recent YouGov polling in Wales found that 75% of people feel pubs have a positive effect in communities and 67% think pubs help combat loneliness and isolation in their local area

Pubs and brewers have faced significant increases to their costs over the last few years while struggling to limit price rises. The Autumn Statement provided vital support with an extension to business rates relief and the freeze on beer duty, but the WBPA does not think this goes far enough.

The ‘Long Live the Local’ campaign invites us all to buy an extra round this Christmas to support the people behind the pint and join the campaign to secure the future of their local.

Lloyd Manchip, brewery manager at Magor Brewery, said: “It’s very unusual to be in an industry where you make a product that is at the centre of every party and occasion. Beer brings people together… at football and rugby, weddings and funerals, every major social event.”

“There are 550 people who work with me and we are so passionate about producing the perfect beer. We’re also looking to the future and investing in becoming more sustainable. Reducing our carbon footprint and reducing the usage of all those commodities to ultimately make the brewery more efficient, better for the planet and ultimately for the people who drink our beer.

“The beer industry is such a major part of Welsh culture. It’s so important that we keep and maintain that.”

Call for reform

Emma McClarkin, CEO of the Welsh Beer and Pub Association, said: “The pint is woven into the fabric of our communities, economies and regional identities. Local pubs are some of our most beloved tourist attractions, while our breweries produce some of the finest beers in the world.

“But the industry needs our support to survive. Wales remains one of the most expensive places in the world to have a pint, with beer duty more than double the average across Europe. The next Parliament must make bringing beer duty in line with Europe a priority – taking at least 34 pence off the price of a pint – as well as reforming business rates so that brewers and pubs can continue investing in the future, providing quality jobs and training for people across the country.”