Damning new polling of Britain’s publicans by Survation for the UK Spirits Alliance has poured cold water on boozers’ hopes ahead of Hunt’s budget. Two-thirds of pubs are reporting a decline in footfall and profits since September. In the Autumn Statement Hunt froze alcohol duty until August this year, though a previous 10.1% hike in line with inflation had already passed on massive costs to consumers. Leaving pub-goers feeling far from bubbly…

A whopping 96% of pubs say any increase in alcohol duty will result in a price increase while over half say all investment would come to an end and staff would have to be cut. Britain’s boozers are at massive risk with over 7,000 expected to go out of business this year. 62% of pubs say last summer’s “Brexit Pubs Guarantee”, designed to undermine supermarket booze, hasn’t worked well. Only real tax cuts will work to tickle the providers of our tipple…